My Official GTM Build Thread!

[LCD Gauges]

For those using pillar gauge pods (double, or triple):

Which brand, and vehicle type did you use?

Do you have roll bar covers, or did you mount the pillar pod to the roll bar itself?

I'm thinking about getting rid of the dash mounted pod to get more forward view.

Thanks.

[carbon fiber]

I don't like the look of the pillar mounted gauges myself. (not on a supercar anyways) have you thought about mounting them in a panel above the rollcage? It would be much better looking than pillar or top of the dash, IMHO. Just an idea.

[LCD Gauges]

You mean next to the rear view mirror? Never thought of that, but it's an option.

[RumRunner]

I'm thinking about getting rid of the dash mounted pod to get more forward view.


Tino,

On my GTM, in my driving position, it is not the dash pod that limits forward view - it is the hood itself. I can see easily over the dash pod - it's the trailing edge of the hood that limits it. Dash pod isn't even close. You may want to try it out before you commit to moving the gauges.

-Michael

[carbon fiber]

You mean next to the rear view mirror? Never thought of that, but it's an option. Yeah, technically right behind the rollcage and beside the rearview mirror. I built a custom guage pod in my '91 LX that held 6 gauges. I'll dig up some pics and post 'em later today.

[LCD Gauges]

On my GTM, in my driving position, it is not the dash pod that limits forward view - it is the hood itself. I can see easily over the dash pod - it's the trailing edge of the hood that limits it. Dash pod isn't even close.

Hey Michael, do you have a photo of your dash pod? I'd like to check out the profile, and contour as it sits on the dash.

The one I'm using is a close fit, but still needs some work to blend properly. I'll have to ponder the view with, and without
to ultimately make the decision to move the gauges. With the mirror mounted, and pod in place it seems like I'm looking
through a mail slot.

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[Presto51]

Hey Michael, do you have a photo of your dash pod? I'd like to check out the profile, and contour as it sits on the dash.

The one I'm using is a close fit, but still needs some work to blend properly. I'll have to ponder the view with, and without
to ultimately make the decision to move the gauges. With the mirror mounted, and pod in place it seems like I'm looking
through a mail slot.

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Tino I'm not sure what the second picture is showing but I think you might want to go in this direction :)

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Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Never mind going in that direction, how about giving me that interior and calling it a done deal? Love the overhead console, and center trim. Hoping mine will look even half as nice!

Who do I speak to about getting that overhead console? :eek:

[RumRunner]

Center console is from Thomas142 on the other forum. I'll send you his contact info later this evening.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Michael,

I've already sent him a PM, but if you have any more photos of the console face, and dimensions to share I'd appreciate it! I'm wondering what that lever is used for (the metal looking switch about midway on the overhead console)?

[LCD Gauges]

Jason,

Is this what you had in mind?

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[carbon fiber]

Yeah, It's almost identical to the Koenigsegg, It's got slightly taller sides because the GTM has a slightly more rounded roof. The back ends up close to flush with the roofline, so it doesn't protrude down as much at the back like the one in the picture. PM sent.

[Presto51]

I'm wondering what that lever is used for (the metal looking switch about midway on the overhead console)?

That’s the passenger’s OH SNIKES handle when the driver goes into max G turn :rolleyes:

Ron

[RumRunner]

That’s the passenger’s OH SNIKES handle when the driver goes into max G turn :rolleyes:

Ron

Tino,

Don't listen to that crazy guy :rolleyes: ..... it's not a lever - it's a hook that I hang my steering wheel from when I get in/out of the car. The removeable wheel makes life much easier!

-Michael

[LCD Gauges]

Ahhh, that makes sense! I should have known better than to trust a guy from the Baltimore area!

Here's the final winglet cut, and spoiler position. After sleeping on it, and several squinted eye-ball assessments, this is it!
As you can see, there's a slight tilt toward the left due to the hatch not being level. That will have to be fixed during the
final fitting.

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A little epoxy to seal the edge, then I'll buff it once it hardens.
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Now, back to the doors. :eek: I'm giving myself until the end of next weekend to get this right, otherwise
it's back to the FFR hinge!

[RF RIDER]

Hey Tino;
nice work on the wing. I noticed in the first pic you blacked out an area, is that the hidden NOS can? What is that silver can you have strapped to the bottom behind the trans?
Are you using the diffuser?

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Dave. The photo is a bit misleading; the wing isn't bolted down yet, it's just sitting on a piece of Lexan to check clearance.

The black square is hiding a mess of wires that I disconnected from an electric valve that controls oil flow out of the accumulator (which is the silver can you asked about).

I'm going to install a diffuser eventually, but I haven't been able to determine a design at the moment. I'll probably leave it open for this season, and work something out
over the Winter.

[LCD Gauges]

Oh Damn, I've just been invited to a fairly exclusive car club event! My neighbour stopped by to check out the progress on my car, and invited
me to a "Saturn Drives" event. It's invite only, and you can only become a member by being "sponsored/recommended" by an existing member.

Check out some of the cars that attend! More, and more motivation to get my *** in gear to finish this car.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VNOBpnzZII&index=4&list=UU2ip2RzsW8Ch8AUK izFs-zw

They get together each week, and follow a "pace car" for the cruise. Stop for lunch, and do a charity car show for the locals.

I'm flattered to say the least.

[LCD Gauges]

The more I study scissor doors on exotic cars, and the GTM door design...the more I realize that modifications to the door & hood
are required to provide adequate clearance. This video of member "Mehansen50" shows the modified hoodline, and door seam.

His hinges also butterfly laterally as opposed to directly vertical. I'm thinking some chopping is required. Perhaps 'glassing the
pocket portion of the hood (corner) to the door?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYM3LC4kjLg

[LCD Gauges]

Hello everyone, I'm wondering if you can help me out with your opinions of this scissor door. Not because I'm going to change my mind, but because
I'm so absorbed in this mess that I think anything everything looks appropriate.

I made a crappy template out of cardboard and foam to replicate the hood contour, and clearance. Thankfully it doesn't have to look pretty; it did
a good job of illustrating the before & after position with the proposed door modification.
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In order for the door to clear the body, this section
will need to be cut out, and closed off "inward/concave/opposite"...ya know what I mean?
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Once that is complete, the section of the hood that covers the door will need to be 'glassed onto the door. This is my last attempt, and it must work
otherwise I'm tossing the hinges.
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What is your honest opinion of the swing angle, vertical height, and lateral distance at the moment? With the section of the fender cut back, the door
will be able to lift more vertical, and it won't fall laterally as much. It is pushed out that far because it's forced by the interference.

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Let's predict a final vertical angle of 70 degrees, and lateral swing of about half.
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Some constructive criticism please?

[RumRunner]

Some constructive criticism please?

Tino,

Looking at the Mehansen video and trying to imagine where your door would end up when open, it seems that the lower and rear edges of the door will be perfect places for folks to hit their head when getting in/out of the car. Or hit their shoulder. Or have water drip on them (god forbid you ever drive in the rain!). With the normal GTM doors, people hit their head getting in and out - I can't imagine the placement of the Lambo door when opened makes that any easier. I know your heart is set on them, and that they are a big step of fulfilling your idea of a GTM, and I understand that. I'm coming from a more pragmatic viewpoint. I know that every change we make when building these cars literally adds weeks or months to the build time-line. That's the trade-off we make. The pragmatist in me says just finish the damn car and get driving! But the creative genius in me understands your quest. Knowing that the work involved in making the body modifications is time consuming and difficult to undo, I'd personally think long and hard before cutting. Just make sure entry and exit are straightforward with those doors up. It would be a shame to get them installed only to have to go through extra contortions to get in and out. Measure twice, cut once!

-Michael

[Shawn K]

My opinion, would be to let them swing out like a normal door. I know you have done a lot of work to where it is at, but the car is exotic looking as it is. I personally I think scissor doors are played out. In my neighborhood, every other Honda civic and Cadillac escalade have them. Keep it simple, as the car will get plenty of attention. But this is just my .02 cents.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks guys. My heart is not set on them as much as my ego is set on them. At this point I've invested so much time, effort, and money into this project that I'm
not inclined to give up easily. Especially now that I see the light - by making a couple of small (?) changes, the door will lift.

As for clearance getting out, the scissor door is just as easy...and may offer additional help by using the "close handle" to grab onto while exiting the car.
I don't get the sense that my head will hit the edges; maybe a video of me getting out will illustrate the amount of space available.

I’m looking for input on the hood/door modification, and your thoughts on the new design. I think it will look tasteful, but having a head check from all of you is appreciated.

[LCD Gauges]

Parking systems from $40 - $150? This one below for $50? Anyone have experience with these aftermarket products?

For this small fee, I'd like to stick some on the front end to prevent me from hitting curbs, or parking dividers. I'm pretty
sure that video signal will go into an AUX, or alternate video feed on the stereo too.
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[carbon fiber]

Electronics guys, sheeesh.:p Totally kidding, I've got 4 screens in mine.

[VD2021]

Parking systems from $40 - $150? This one below for $50? Anyone have experience with these aftermarket products?

For this small fee, I'd like to stick some on the front end to prevent me from hitting curbs, or parking dividers. I'm pretty
sure that video signal will go into an AUX, or alternate video feed on the stereo too.
31350

Definitely a great accessory to have. Many vehicles now have front/parking sensor as standard equipment.

IMO, just the increasing "beep" from the warning is fine (quick learning curve for exactly how close an object is in relation to the tone), but a camera in conjunction with the sensor is even better.

I'm not a fan of the sensors that are visible and require 1" holes. There are sensors that are paintable.

What you have pictured will not have a video output and that display is a dedicated piece of equipment for the system with a diode matrix.

[LCD Gauges]

Right, I figured LCD monitor would be some sort of video but it's just a backlit diode display as you said.

[LCD Gauges]

You're right, I figured LCD monitor would be some sort of video but it's just a backlit diode display as you said.

Maybe going with a tone only, or a smaller inconspicuous LED graph is the ticket; that LCD display is a
bit cheesy looking to mount in the interior.

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[VD2021]

that LCD display is a
bit cheesy looking to mount in the interior.

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When I'm adding an accessory I reference how the different auto manufacturers are integrating it. Then shoot for an design that is the same or similar. This will usually take the, your term "cheesy" factor away.

A great example here is my SUV. It has a simple row of LEDs in a very low profile pod (shaped much like your pictured display), that is placed in the rear roof. It is in view when you are looking aft through the rearview mirror or just turning your head. It virtually disappears if the vehicle is not in reverse.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Vidal, I'll probably go with the bar graph unless I find something else with
video that can interface to the existing screen.

Tonight I hammered out the details on the firewall. I'm not sure how I'll dress up
the backside, but possibly another layer of Thermo-tec to reflect some
heat and noise...which is just going to leak through the window anyway.

Once the bulb seal goes around the edge, and the bolt holes/roll bars are notched,
it should look pretty decent.
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[LCD Gauges]

Any idea what this valve is doing here? It's electro-magnetic, but it's not connected.

I'm probably going to remove it as I've taken out the large "turtle tank" under the hood
(already have an expansion tank at the back).

.31454

[LCD Gauges]

I have just learned that the valve is part of the Vintage Air system,
and used to stop the flow of hot coolant through the heater core when
the AC is enabled.

[LCD Gauges]

You won't believe this, but some guy broke into my garage today! I was about to call the police, but he insisted that he
knew something about GTM's, and he was a part of the forum.

Can anyone identify this person?

http://www.procision-auto.com/gtm.jpg

[RumRunner]

You won't believe this, but some guy broke into my garage today! I was about to call the police, but he insisted that he
knew something about GTM's, and he was a part of the forum.

Can anyone identify this person?

http://www.procision-auto.com/gtm.jpg

Be careful, he's a wanted man in Maryland. Wanted for his expertise in bodywork and paint! If I were you, I'd lock him in the garage and tell him he can't come out until those Lambo doors work and the car is painted!

-Michael

[LCD Gauges]

Ron was nice enough to accept my invitation to spend a week in Hell getting my GTM up to a level of quality that it deserves.

I am hereby declaring this day, "The Turning Point" for #105. New wiring, strip down & clean, and bodywork done by a pro.

I'm anxious to see the transformation - especially the new tail lights.

Thank you Ron!

[VD2021]

Ron was nice enough to accept my invitation to spend a week in Hell getting my GTM up to a level of quality that it deserves.

I am hereby declaring this day, "The Turning Point" for #105. New wiring, strip down & clean, and bodywork done by a pro.

I'm anxious to see the transformation - especially the new tail lights.

Thank you Ron!

Outstanding!

I can't wait to see the week's results.

I don't want to prolong the time spent here, when you've got Ron in house, but what's first on your todo list?

[LCD Gauges]

Vidal,

I will defer that question to Ron as he knows the plan best.

We knocked down a bunch of tasks including basic wheel alignment, rear body alignment and bolting,
mid-body alignment, rear hatch adjustment/install, glass gapping, and working on the driver door!

I can't say enough about the motivation, and mentoring that Ron brings to the
table. Things never moved so fast with two determined car guys working together.

Check out the master at work, and the beautiful wheel centering!

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[Presto51]

Tomorrow's list ........Lambo door hinges, OMG :rolleyes:

[LCD Gauges]

Day Two Down! The driver door is aligned, and roughed-in. It closes really well now.
It's crazy to think that last week I was ready to throw these hinges out, and now
they are closing like any another should.


The gas shocks are too strong for the door weight; it lifts by itself at quite a speed.
I'll be replacing these shocks for 50-75 lbs version.


We also set up the hood for alignment, but the wheel arcs and overall fit is not
looking so good. Getting the lines to match up will take a great deal of time.


Enjoy the video, and photos!




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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-63Dbv4yAI

[VD2021]

Outstanding work Gentlemen.

Can't wait to see what is accomplished tomorrow.

[LCD Gauges]

A little sneak peek of the tail light madness!

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More to come later!

[fastthings]

A little sneak peek of the tail light madness!

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More to come later!

Committed, I love it. Go for it guys!!

[LCD Gauges]

As promised, here are more progress pictures. The lines are really matching up well with the rear of the car.

The mold is pretty much complete; tomorrow we glass in the lights, and start the upper window side scoops.

I'll also get the pictures of the scissor door hinge for Vidal, and others.


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[LCD Gauges]

Day 4:

Worked on both light buckets. The left is secured, the right needs to be 'glassed

I found a suitable shock for the door hinge; the door opens on it's own at a very nice rate. I'd say
it takes about 10 pounds of "weight/force" to pull the door down. It's almost a perfect balance right
now. Once the glass, and speaker are installed it will be great!

The final angle, and lateral tilt is more than hoped for. Ron gets the extra points!
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[LCD Gauges]

Here's a sample of the cut required to clear the door opening. We'll be making a pocket much like the hood latch area, and this will be covered
by the hood.


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[Fraser D]

Great progress there guys!
The lights look like they will blend right in.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Dave, things are starting to take shape. The lights are moving along, however they are not an easy task.

Today we spent most of the time making molds, and securing them to the body. The left tail light is nearly trimmed
for the contour of the light assembly. Ron did some magic by adding material to raise the back end to the height
of the lamp lens.

I also started making the upper window air scoops, and closed off the factory window.

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[LCD Gauges]

Here are the results of one week's kick-butt work:

The left light is about 80% complete. I will have to straighten the lines, and get rid of pin holes, etc. I'd like to find a gasket to trim the
gap eventually. Now that I have been shown the process, I'll be able to finish the right side tail light.

In most of these photos the lamp assembly is just sitting in the pocket, and not bolted down. The gap looks tighter when the light is
placed properly.
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I'm loving the 3-D look of the night running lights:

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Side scoops nearly complete. The bottom flange needs to be glassed.
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[LCD Gauges]

Using some of last week's lesson to finish off the right side tail light. Ron, are you proud?

I wouldn't be able to get this far without asking questions, and now I'm just that much more dangerous! :D
Also connected the rear hatch and shocks. The hood latches arrived today, so the hood will get the final
alignment! That means the entire car will finally sit square.

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[Presto51]

Tino nice work on the right tail light :cool:

Glad to see that I didn't work too hard and your build is back on track

Keep up the momentum and Git-Err-Done

In case you forgot how hard you worked last week :rolleyes:

31989

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Don't worry, I won't forget the butt-kicking you gave me. It's nice to see how far that light modification has come along. Just think, once I get the contour correct I still have
to smooth the inside of the bucket, and layer the outside of the mold to give it a production look. :mad:

With all the ideas at my disposal, I'm going to mock up a diffuser over the Winter. These attached photos show some awesome looking designs;
I'll try my luck at carbon fiber this time!

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[Presto51]

Don't worry, I won't forget the butt-kicking you gave me. It's nice to see how far that light modification has come along. Just think, once I get the contour correct I still have
to smooth the inside of the bucket, and layer the outside of the mold to give it a production look. :mad:

With all the ideas at my disposal, I'm going to mock up a diffuser over the Winter. These attached photos show some awesome looking designs;
I'll try my luck at carbon fiber this time!

3200332002

Cool but does Jason know that your going to play in his sandbox :rolleyes:

Ron

[carbon fiber]

It's a big sandbox.

[LCD Gauges]

Jason has nothing to worry about. With the oil accumulator sitting behind the transaxle,
I'll need to make something custom for myself.

[LCD Gauges]

I'm guessing not many people are using the FFR supplied hatch release? I'm trying to figure out a method to mount the pin on the hatch,
which is either a Rivnut, or a tapped steel plate that will be bolted to the hatch.

If anyone is using this pin/lock mechanism, please post your comments on the quality of the release and closing of the trunk.

Thanks!

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[LCD Gauges]

Using the Arduino Mega to control various devices in the GTM, and mimic OEM Corvette functions such as active lighting, fuel range, twilight sentinel etc.

With this processor, I'll be able to program logic to illuminate a light on the dash when the fuel level reaches a preset threshold, and display a message
on the LCD stating, "Low Fuel". I'm also going to rig up a memory for the telescopic steering for exiting/entering the car, and mirrors when reversing (to
point downward).

You will hear me chuckle in the video as my co-worker is yelling obscenities in the background. Luckily, the fans are too loud to hear him!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6M_WLyi_lE

I've also found some cool items to round out the interior decor. With Jason making me a console, and rollbar cover I'd like to go with a
carbon fiber theme, and eventually accent the doors. This steering wheel is a 14 inch model with CF inlays and a quick disconnect.
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A nice engine start button, 4 line blue LCD, and a backup/sonar system with display. That will replace my
current rear view camera and remove one screen. If I'm lucky enough, I'll be able to use the sonar sensors
with the microprocessor to sense blind spot objects for lane changes too!
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[Presto51]

Very nice Mr. Tino. Glad that your making great progress, your ride is going be slick and sick.

Of course this does raise the bar for future builds :rolleyes:

Ron

[Kalstar]

Looking outstanding!

Ron has helped me as well, he is a great guy and a huge asset to our community.

[VD2021]

Tino,

Very nice work. Arduino is a great open-source platform with almost unlimited possibilities and you seem to have a lot of experience with it. I'm eager to see your integration and all of the features/functions you add to your system.

My Kids and I are planning to build an Arduino based robot with smartphone control soon. Nothing too crazy. It will be more about the electronics, programming and system/s integration than the physical bot.

[LCD Gauges]

Funny Mr. Ron, I'm not so sure I'm raising the bar yet...maybe just keeping up with the Jones'? Unless of course you are talking about your
spectacular rear tail light modification? :D

I agree, Ron is a HUGE ASSet; this place wouldn't be the same without him! He had many things to say about you as well. We talked about
your sourcing skills, and BBQ quite a bit. Next year I may have to crash your party.

Awesome Vidal, that's a great project for anyone to start with. These processors, and add-on kits are amazing! I've thought about the Bluetooth
module to allow some controls to be accessed from my phone. You will have to keep me (us) posted on that Robot build as I'm very interested in
learning more about the code, interfacing, etc. If you're not aware, there is an awesome forum for the Arduino users with thousands of personal
project threads.
http://www.arduino.cc
http://forum.arduino.cc/

[RumRunner]

Tino,

Very nice work. Arduino is a great open-source platform with almost unlimited possibilities and you seem to have a lot of experience with it. I'm eager to see your integration and all of the features/functions you add to your system.

My Kids and I are planning to build an Arduino based robot with smartphone control soon. Nothing too crazy. It will be more about the electronics, programming and system/s integration than the physical bot.

Vidal,
Maybe your robot can help do bodywork! Program it right and you could probably rent it out to Tino to help him! I see a new business opportunity! Three exclamation points in a row. Wow.

Tino,
Ron is correct - you are raising the bar with your build. As is Vidal. Seriously stellar jobs from both of you. Me, I'm just sitting at the bar and enjoying the view. Just glad I finished before the electronics revolution!

-Michael

[Kalstar]

Funny Mr. Ron, I'm not so sure I'm raising the bar yet...maybe just keeping up with the Jones'? Unless of course you are talking about your
spectacular rear tail light modification? :D

I agree, Ron is a HUGE ASSet; this place wouldn't be the same without him! He had many things to say about you as well. We talked about
your sourcing skills, and BBQ quite a bit. Next year I may have to crash your party.

Awesome Vidal, that's a great project for anyone to start with. These processors, and add-on kits are amazing! I've thought about the Bluetooth
module to allow some controls to be accessed from my phone. You will have to keep me (us) posted on that Robot build as I'm very interested in
learning more about the code, interfacing, etc. If you're not aware, there is an awesome forum for the Arduino users with thousands of personal
project threads.
http://www.arduino.cc
http://forum.arduino.cc/

You are welcome to come to the BBQ next year. I would like to make it a yearly tradition. BTW, the word "crash" is banned in the GTM forum....just say'n.

[LCD Gauges]

I'm finding it tough to imagine people are looking at my car as setting the bar when
I look at so many others on both forums and want my car to be at that level.

Maybe I can't see beyond all of the dust right now, but I certainly like the new direction
this car has taken since Ron dropped by!

Thanks for the BBQ invite, please keep me posted. Let's exchange emails
via PM and keep in touch.

[Presto51]

You are welcome to come to the BBQ next year. I would like to make it a yearly tradition.

Hey Jim I'm down with that idea. Would like to see the crew from this years BBQ + some new faces. Even that bussiness owner in Barrington, RI.

Word on the street is that he can lay his hands on any FFR product whenever he has a mind too.:rolleyes:

Ron

[Kalstar]

Don't be so bashful, your car will be one of a kind and many past and present builders will "borrow" ideas from you. You are building an epic car!

Yes BBQ next year too, love to have you and your family come. As for R.I folks, well hopefully he see this post or maybe I can beg !

[VD2021]

I'm finding it tough to imagine people are looking at my car as setting the bar when
I look at so many others on both forums and want my car to be at that level.

Maybe I can't see beyond all of the dust right now, but I certainly like the new direction
this car has taken since Ron dropped by!

Thanks for the BBQ invite, please keep me posted. Let's exchange emails
via PM and keep in touch.


Don't be so bashful, your car will be one of a kind and many past and present builders will "borrow" ideas from you. You are building an epic car!

Yes BBQ next year too, love to have you and your family come. As for R.I folks, well hopefully he see this post or maybe I can beg !

Agreed. You are creating something new and unique. Think about it......The majority, that will take on a build, will be good to excellent with a wrench in hand and have little (if any) expertise with electronics. Usually choosing to just keep it simple in the proton/electron area.



You are welcome to come to the BBQ next year. I would like to make it a yearly tradition. BTW, the word "crash" is banned in the GTM forum....just say'n.

A If it becomes an annual tradition:cool: it’s definitely going on my bucket list (but for the near future).



Vidal,
Maybe your robot can help do bodywork! Program it right and you could probably rent it out to Tino to help him! I see a new business opportunity! Three exclamation points in a row. Wow.

Tino,
Ron is correct - you are raising the bar with your build. As is Vidal. Seriously stellar jobs from both of you. Me, I'm just sitting at the bar and enjoying the view. Just glad I finished before the electronics revolution!

-Michael

I almost lost the H2O I was drinking when I read this :D. How I wish I had the time and resources to design a "FFR Bodywork Robot (FaBoR)" :cool:. LOL.

I'd have it moving across the FFR community, from build to build, doing a FaBor to all who require bodywork.

[LCD Gauges]

I know I have a bad habit of revealing photos before the task is complete, but hey I'm excited!

Just some pin holes to fix on the right, and some more grinding to match the left contour. I'm
pretty much ready to move onto the spoiler mount, then right side door. I'll save the fine details
for late Fall because it's about time I start driving this thing!
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I'll need a ruler to line up the camera next time...the car looks drunk. :p

[Presto51]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tino,

Big ole congrats, those tail lights look great, give yourself a couple of beers

Ok that's enough laying about, can't wait for the next set of mod pictures

So and get-err-done. Remember the FFR Open House is in June so time is a wasting :rolleyes:

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Well, thank you Mr. Teacher! I haven't indulged in any alcohol yet, but I just might once I begin
the passenger side scissor hinge.

Here a some shots of the illuminated lights:
3256732568

Someone linked me to this product which may be a reasonable solution to form a gasket around the light.
From what I see in the video, this material will need careful application to ensure a smooth appearance once cured.

Anybody have experience with this stuff? Will it dry smooth, and not look like cracked clay?

32569
http://sugru.com/buy
http://sugru.com/about

Out of interest for the Arduino programmers, I think I'll be able to construct some sort of traction control and/or ABS system using the VSS sensors,
and a one directional feed into the PCM knock sensor input. The processor is able to read PWM signals, and frequency modulated signals. If I can
monitor wheel speed on the front, and rear wheels then send a "false" knock input to the PCM when the processor senses a pre-determined differential
between front/rear wheel speed, the PCM will cut timing to reduce engine power.

Similarly, if the processor can sense that a wheel is significantly slower, or locked, it can send individual signals to channels of an
ABS module to pulse the brake.

32570

The traction control seems to be fairly easy to program, but will take several hours of data logging to figure out
how much wheel speed differential and timing cut will be required to complete the task. Luckily HP Tuners can
be used to program the PCM to tailor the spark reduction based on the level of knock signal strength.

32571

I may be completely out to lunch with this concept, but there's no harm in trying. I'd have to study how the OEM's
design their systems and use that as a guideline.

[LCD Gauges]

Happy end of August everyone! Can you believe how fast this Summer is going? Maybe I'm feeling the crunch because I'm itching to get
my car on the road before the snow falls!

I'm plugging away at the spoiler mount which requires some steel reinforcement, and fiberglass work. The shocks are too weak to hold the
hatch, and glass properly. When adding the spoiler, and extra material this thing will come tumbling down! The sad part is, I've already tried
a bigger shock which causes the hatch to flex as you push it downward. Hopefully installing the glass will make everything more rigid.

Has anyone used the stock hatch pin with success? I've decided to toss it, and find an alternative striker/claw combo like the hood latches.
The one that I received in the kit doesn't close properly, and feels "clunky"...aside from the fact that the mount is backwards, and modification
is required to affix the pin. Just as well, I don't think the FFR mechanism would have worked with a remote popper; yet another part that doesn't
work with the kit. :confused:

More fun with the Arduino processor however! I've been able to successfully program a Hazard light, and Fuel pressure warning circuit. Being
in the Avionics field, and an airplane freak I'm trying to add a little aviation theme to the car. The processor will run through a series of Power-
On-Self-Tests [P.O.S.T.] then sound a "Ready Tone" like the Q400 airplane. Once the vitals check fine, the Start Button will illuminate to indicate all is well.

So far the code has reached a few pages (typed), and I'm not even into the traction control, ABS, or Twilight sentinel programming.

Video of 3rd Brake light flasher circuit:

http://youtu.be/IBISGq08GgY



32777327783277932780

[LCD Gauges]

Video of Fuel Pressure Warning:

http://youtu.be/Uej1e0YvtgI

[fireman]

Used some eBay 944 hatch latches and pins $40 put together a support and mount. Makes for a very solid support for the wing while keeping the hatch intact.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks for the photos. That seems like a reasonable solution to lock down the spoiler, and hatch in the same breath.

The only trouble is my mufflers are impeding into the lateral space where the striker pin is located. I don't know if I'll have
enough room to use that setup. I'll check it out for sure in any case!

[LCD Gauges]

Sorry for this graphic image you are about to imagine, but I’ve been sportin’ wood all night!

The control processor has a wicked WIFI/Bluetooth module that can be programmed to my Andriod phone! Custom made app with voice control, system reporting, and remote functions! The possibilities are endless now. I"ll have to make my own video once I get it all working (it could take a while!).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41MRGjdVIMQ


As shown in the video, I’ll be able to program voice commands, or buttons to do anything that’s connected to my processor including starting the engine! All I have to connect is a relay to a specific output pin, and assign the voice command to the desired pin. Maybe add some other functions to activate A/C, NAV, or stereo to keep my eyes on the road while driving. Voice synth to announce what's happening too!

With this setup the processor can report back any sensor input to my phone, or computer. It can be programmed to send a text & email if any of the parameters are out of tolerance (IE: Such as Battery voltage too low).

If you’re thinking what I’m thinking…yeah, maybe in the very near future? I may have shot myself in the foot by posting this idea, but whatever. I'm too excited
not to share it.

Here are a few images of the APP that I'm building using "Eclipse" (which also uses C++ language).


328753287632877

[LCD Gauges]

More progress on the hood as I've finally cut the vent holes. These are
simply to drain the water, and give a little cosmetic appeal. I think leaving
the hood intact will improve structural integrity as well as aerodynamics.
Still some sanding to match up the symmetry on both holes, and then glass
in the screen mesh.


GTM105 turned 3 years old on the 27th, so he received a beautiful 14 inch
steering wheel. This thing is really nice with a firm, yet spongy grip. It kinda
feels like you're grabbing onto a fist full of uhhh...you know HEAVEN!
(*get your minds out of the gutter guys!)




32993329943299632995



Electronic Start Circuit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noqxmdp5h8A

[LCD Gauges]

Last, but not least - a Twilight Sentinel circuit. Yes, I know how much you
love watching these electronic / programming videos. You'll be happy to know
I'm not going to post anymore until I can figure out the traction control coding...
then I'll annoy you some more!




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDeVTut8YEY

[LCD Gauges]

There's some dude emailing me about my lack of updates, and how my car should
be done by now. I won't mention his name *cough*, but here's a little something
to hold you all over!

I've been hammering out the body work; the hood is ready to be 'guide coated',
along with the rest of the main frame. The clutch has been bled again, and the last
bits are getting cleaned up for the test drive NEXT WEEK! It's not even close to the
final assembly stage, but it has been too long sitting in the garage. I need to have
some fun before the season ends.

Aside from that, some new parts have arrived for the Arduino processor project,
and interior upgrades. The TFT mirror is beautiful in comparison to the plastic
model I had previously. This thing is a monster at 7 inch diagonal display,
and dual video input. I'll be able to set the Ardiuno to switch from dedicated
rear view to side camera when the right turn signal is active for changing lanes.
The GTM has a wicked blind spot now that I'm planning to install scoops over
the window area.
33435
The parking system (SONOR) will be installed at the side, and front bumper area
to help gauge distance to curbs, and cars pulling up beside me. The unit senses
objects up to 2 meters away (~ 7 feet) and sounds a tone/bar graph as targets
get closer to the sensor(s).

The cool thing is that the Arduino will allow me to use the sonor sensors, and
RFID to illuminate courtesy lighting inside/outside of the car as I get closer. The
lights will only turn on when the RFID chip is within range, so other pedestrian traffic
doesn't trigger the lighting.

At the moment I have the following programmed into the system:
Twilight Sentinel, Turn signal/Hazard Flash Sequence, LED dimming, Side-View/
Rear-View video, Electronic engine start/stop, Engine monitor w/LCD readout with P.O.S.T.
feature, Fuel LVL low, Oil PSI low, Fuel PSI low, Fuel CUT, Steering Telescopic memory,
and shift light (adjustable). This processor is incredibly powerful, and has so much more
room for expansion.

Jason is working away on my console, and roll bar cover which will incorporate
a triple gauge pod. Now that I've cleared up some space on the dash I'm thinking
about adding a flip-up storage compartment. This baby was taken from an older
car of mine which I just happened to keep for a rainy day. If I can find some black
paint to match the interior I'll be set. If Jason sees this, he'll probably cringe at the
fact that the vents will intersect with his console cover. Don't worry, I won't do anything
until it's mocked up! There may be a way to raise the storage compartment high enough
to prevent cutting the console cover.

334283343133432

The traction control circuit is moving along. I should have a concept circuit ready
in about a week, and then try to incorporate everything into the car for fine tuning.
I'm going to use an accelerometer along with other inputs to help predict loss of traction,
and direction of slip (if any) to help control the stability of the car. It will also make
a nice readout on the LCD for showing cornering, and long. g's when accelerating.

Now that I have a 4 line LCD display I'll be able to keep much more on the screen
without the need for cycling inputs,or switches. This model doesn't look as much
like a calculator display either. Some nice blue LED for under interior/footwell ambient
lighting.

334293343333434
The ABS deal is also coming along nicely. Not much more can be done without having
an actual module around for interface testing. That's something that will get added
next year perhaps.

A quick release hub for the new wheel; it has quite an offset in addition to the steering
wheel itself which means the entire column will have to be moved back about two inches.
Hopefully there`s enough adjustment for that to happen. The telescope may also be
extended slightly, but I doubt it. For some reason I am not able to retract, or extend
the position? Does anyone have a wiring diagram for the Corvette column by chance?
I'll post one if I find it.
33430

No more toys. It's time to roll out. NEXT WEEK OR BUST?

[Presto51]

Tino,

Now that's more like it, don't know who that person was emailing, giving you a hard time about progress, it might have been your wife getting on you to Get-Er-Done :rolleyes:

Next week or bust is it? You don't need a double dog dare again.....Do You :confused:

BTW: You know the rules about the cruise, No Pictures, Video It Didn't Happen :)

Ron

[fastthings]

A man with a plan, cool stuff.

[LCD Gauges]

The plan is in motion...it's all I think about every day. I wonder if my wife has noticed the lack of attention I give her lately *(the last three years!)? :p

Don't worry Ron, I'll get those videos and photos. I think you'll be impressed; you are a good teacher! If I find out who is sending those emails, I'lll
let you know!

[LCD Gauges]

A quick peek at the guide coat on the hood, along with my super cool dust booth.

I'll need to block out some of the tiny drip/runs, and maybe spray another coat. Hoping to roll it out Monday to blow some
dust off, and install some of the interior. So nice to see the car getting closer to a finished look.

335223352333524

[Edgeman]

Tino,

Looking good, I wish I would have done more of the body work on my car. It sure is coming together for you and congrats.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Doug, it certainly makes things more more fun after having a week of lessons. You can always scratch your paint,
and get more pratice.

[LCD Gauges]

I wasn't going to bother updating this until the spoiler mount was complete, but I tossed this photo on FB for kicks and it received a bunch of comments.
Maybe it doesn't look so bad to the non-FFR guys, however it's obvious this first layer of guide coat is not even, and still needs to be sprayed around the
radiator inlet.

I'm doing this just to make the car look a little cleaner when test driving, and it helps me spot imperfections in the body work. It has come a long way
since I began knocking down the flash lines. The clutch is bled, spoiler mount is 1/3 complete, and the weather may allow for a quick boot tomorrow.

3382633828

[Presto51]

The clutch is bled, spoiler mount is 1/3 complete, and the weather may allow for a quick boot tomorrow.

Hey Tino make sure that those tail lights are on nice a tight before your "quick boot" I wouldn't want to be around you if one of those puppies fell out going down the road :rolleyes:

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Trust me, after the first fall I have been watching them like a hawk! They will be welded, and glued into place!

[LCD Gauges]

Alright, so I was a little pre-mature (again). I have to stop it! Today the guide coat received some touch-up, and I started to align the hood.
The "warp" is so bad, that the hinges will probably need modifying, or custom made altogether.

One question for the paint pros out there, what's the deal with the patchy finish on the hood? There's no filler in that area, and it was cleaned
fairly well. It's not over-spray, or under-spray (I tried adding more coats in one area, and around the patch as well).

I'm not freaking out because it's going to get blocked down, but...is this a problem moving forward?

So Thursday IS THE DAY. Mark my word. 24 degrees C, and clear. Accelerometer in hand, and an extra video camera. I'd like to try some 0-60 sprints,
braking, and maybe a bit of cornering. I don't think I should do much more with a suspension that is not tuned, or not completely aligned.

338893389033891

[LCD Gauges]

How much does this Gen 1 body suck? Very much! Getting the hood to line up with the front quarter panels, and doors is beyond me.
I was really hoping to get some high speed testing under my belt today, but the hood was not co-operating. After lining up everything
as best as possible, and bolting the hinges, I'd end up with a tilted hood or the light bucket would contact the hinge.

Three hours lost messing with the hood, and it's still not secure enough for a good test run. I'll have to try plan B tomorrow, and hope
we're good to go! The cameras are charged, accelerometer installed, and fuel topped up.
3393933940

Here's a crappy video of the lights, and some engine idle (again). Sorry about the distortion.

http://youtu.be/8rlxiE0wdS8

[LCD Gauges]

I think I'll take a page out of Dave's (FraserD's) book, and make my own hood hinges.
Not only to correct the offset in the hood itself, but to stabilize the opening action.

Is anyone else feeling like the Vette hinges are unstable, and cause the hood
to wobble when opening?


I'm thinking a simple extended loop with bushings, and a solid bolt will do the trick.
33992

[Fraser D]

Tino,
I think that you still need to maintain the offset parallel motion the standard hood hinges are based off of, (inc the corvette ones) that both rotates and separates.
My concern with the standard hood is that if you just rotate you will bury the nose into the ground.
Have a look at something like this style which is easy to make and mock up.
You can play with the lengths to get the correct motion in either a drawing package or with some shop scrap.
My current design, (not finished yet) is to use tube and bushes to cut down on some of that flex in the hinge. Mine has to be wider than high when it is collapsed.

[RumRunner]

Tino, Dave,

Just my $0.02. I remember when I mounted my hood. I spent a long time mounting the hood and making certain the alignment was good, that it opened smoothly, and that it didn't hit anything up or down. At first I was having problems similar to those you're describing. I then went on a little "fact-finding" mission, examining built GTMs in pictures that had good side views. I was specifically looking for two measurements: 1) the distance between the ground just forward of the front tire and the very bottom of the hood wheel well arch, and 2) the distance between the bottom of the nose and the ground at GTM centerline. After looking at many completed cars, I realized I was trying to mount the nose far too low.

With my ride height at 4.25", the two measurements I just described are 5.25 inches, and 7 inches (GTM GEN2 nose). I'm confident the 5.25" measurement holds true for the Gen I hood; not certain about the nose measurement.

With my hood in this position, and the fore-aft position of hood good, the lower attachment point on the hinge is nearly at the very bottom of the fog light bucket, and the upper mounting hole is close to center of the bucket. At least with mine, the hinges feel very solid and operate extremely well. The nose isn't even close to diving into the ground with the hood wide open.

Hope that helps.

-Michael

34005

[LCD Gauges]

Michael,

The measurements from each end of the wheel arc to the ground are 6.0" (L) , and 6.5" (R). There is a very noticeable tilt when the hood is open, despite my
attempts to align both hinges symmetrically. I'm not going to fight with it too much at the moment, but there is a very serious problem with the hood itself.
Either way I slice it, the arc will require glass work to line up with the body.

Yesterday I managed to get some extended test driving, and logging done. It certainly gets hot in the interior, but I don't have the sides of the center console
installed. It gave me an idea of what sort of heat to expect nonetheless. With two cameras, laptop, and an accelerometer mounted I was hoping to capture
some decent video/audio. The WASP camera recorded inverted video (my mistake in the settings), and the audio is absolute junk. It sounds like a Model T Ford
idling! :P I guess it's because the microphone is recording audio through a plastic case.
34252

With all the monitoring, and excitement I forgot to press record the accelerometer! I'll have to redo the test drive this weekend; just as well because after viewing
the logs, there is a nasty fuel trim issue going on. My thought is that I left a vacuum line (PCV) loose, or possibly disconnected when installing my exhaust EVAC?
Funny that the engine responded well considering the terrible fueling.
34253
A little late, but better than nothing at all! I'll upload some data and video soon. Thanks for the insight on the hood measurements.

[Edgeman]

Tino,

I did not spend a lot of time on the wheel arcs and I did not add any material. Same with this back of the hood by the windshield. I think it is ok and I can live with it. Just my .2 cents.

34259

[LCD Gauges]

Sorry about the late reply Doug, I've been MIA for a while. I'm going to continue working on the front end, and wheel wells especially since learning a few things
from Ron. After going this far, and ending another season, I'll spend the Winter making it right.

It has been a cold and rainy October, but I managed some test & tune this week. The fuel trims are looking much better than the previous post, and still much
more to improve upon. The throttle response was definitely nicer, and the trims are not maxing out. I even remembered to press record on the G-Tech, however
there isn't much to see with moderate cruising around the neighbourhood. If the Weather co-operates Thursday, or Friday I'll hit the highway (after renewing my
plates - happy belated Bday to mE!!!).

3467434675
Some glamour shots (*one edited with shaved handles, and fake primer) of the current body condition, along with a video.
Excuse the talking the background; too many people around today to get any recording complete. As you can see the front
door needs major repair, and modification to increase the hinge angle.
346763467734678

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we_vkVpfl-0

[LCD Gauges]

More tuning, and Arduino programming complete! I've had the car out a few more times to iron out the baseline VE, and MAF tables.
It took a while, but it's pretty much dead-on for the idle, and most of the cruise cells. It's accelerating really well, and more impressive
is that my TPS was only opening 47% according to HP Tuners (which means the engine never entered PE Mode)! :D

Once I fix the accelerator linkage, I'll be out again. I can't wait to feel this engine pull with a full opened throttle blade, and the
correct timing/fuel tables for wide-open-throttle.

This week I received the last of the sensors for the traction control, and ABS project. Even picked up RFID cards, a voice
module, WIFI, hydrometer (for the traction ctrl), and a couple of 8 position joysticks (one for the mirrors, and one for the
Arduino menu select).

Last but not least, a 3.5" touchscreen with a dedicated processor. It will be used as the control GUI (interface) for the
Arduino. The only trouble is, I'm having a hell of a time getting the touchscreen to respond.

34963349643496534966

For those with cable throttle links, pay close attention. Always check for full travel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qP75vbv2nc

[xatudor]

Tino,
If the cable is just slack when the throttle is off and the TPS is showing 0% then it looks like you will need a smaller diameter cam on the throttle body shaft, if you put a bigger cam on then you will need more movement of the cable to get the shaft to move the same degrees of rotation. Be careful as when you put a smaller cam on then the throttle will become more sensitive to changes in throttle position. If you can measure the degrees of travel for the shaft from zero to 100% and the amount of travel for the cable then you should be able to work out the correct diameter of the cam you need.

Cable travel = 2 x 3.14 x radius x (degrees of rotation/360).

Another option is to change the amount accelerator pedal movement.

Hope that helps

[LCD Gauges]

Ah yes, got that backwards!

I thought about bending the rod on the lower side of the accelerator pedal upward. I think that might give me enough travel to rotate the throttle blade fully.

If not, i'll try a SMALLER cam on the TPS!

[LCD Gauges]

Made some major headway with programming this week, and correcting
the TPS/Throttle blade opening.


It was enough to re-work the accelerator pedal to get more rotation; that
little bump between the floor pan, and pedal was impeding the motion.
I'm anxious to see what kind of damage I can achieve with 100% of the
airflow, as opposed to 47%. This will not go well for the tires! :evil:


Here's a video of some wireless action with the Arduino:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pfBCieR4Mc

[LCD Gauges]

Finally figured out the touchscreen for my custom processor interface! Sorry it's out of focus; for some reason my
cell phone won't lock onto the text!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtz6aoIW0zY

[LCD Gauges]

I've been spending more time on programming than physical work on the car. That's probably not good practice if I want to drive the
car this season, but I'll put this to rest soon (I hope).

I'm pretty certain I'll replace my analog gauges for an LCD screen, and use a software program called, "Processing" to design a graphic
layout for the dash. At the moment, I'm copying certain elements of the Cadillac cluster, and adding my own ideas. I like the digital
representation of analog style gauges, so this is my first draft concept.

With each mode, I'll have different annunciators present by selecting an option on the control screen, or when the software senses
Wide open throttle (Sport/Race mode). I'm trying to keep the screen as clean as possible to allow for quick scanning of essential
information, while having the center regions of the speedometer, tachometer and fuel/temp display reserved for random messages.

The most basic screen might look something like this, with a less "busy" speedometer scale:
36372
For cruising around town, and highway, the basic screen will be used with subtle messages
if certain criteria is triggered.
36373

For track/sport mode, there will be yellow "Shift Lights" across the top of the display, and numeric
readouts for Gear, and Speed. The RPM gauge will also use a solid Band to indicate the engine speed
as opposed to a needle (not drawn), and accelerometer info (not shown).

The two circles on the speedometer scale represent the upper, and lower speed range for the gear
above, and below the current selected gear. It will let me know if I can down shift without over-rev'ing,
or upshift without loading the engine during hard acceleration. Those points will have to be tweaked
during track testing for best acceleration.


36374

For the last mode, I think I'll add readouts for a "tuning mode" that will show more engine
sensors like IAT, Knock, TX temp, etc.

Ya, I know I'm a geek.

[LCD Gauges]

I've found a great analog gauge cluster from the Audi S8 series vehicle.

Original image
http://www.importrpm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2015-audi-s8-image-7.jpg

Instead of reinventing the wheel and drawing the gauges, I'll use this
as a background image on the LCD (like a desktop image on your computer)

Then I'll animate the bar graphs to circle around the numbers. Should save
a bunch of time!


3642436425

Enough graphic editing...time to align the hood.

[The Stig]

That's going to be very cool! Looking forward to seeing how this progresses.

Mike

[Presto51]

Looking Good Tino keep up with the great design work :cool:

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks boys, it's getting more and more exciting to add features to this system. I have to pat myself on the back after getting over
the latest hurdle of drawing analog needles to sweep the gauges.

I've also thrown together some rough indicators for the warning symbols. There are many more needed, but the essentials are shown
for testing.

With air scoops replacing the side windows, the poor blind spot becomes even more an issue. I've been able to rig up a sonor system
coupled with a side view camera that will activate when the right turn signal is engaged. It will be a great help when changing lanes,
or can alert me when someone is getting too close on either side of the vehicle.

36607


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnkyEQCLz6w

[Kalstar]

Soooooooo awesome!

[sressue]

Some of the best gauges I've seen on a GTM. Great work on all the upgrades.

[thumper24]

Dude, you're clearly having a BLAST building this thing... looks great!

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks for the awesome compliments everyone - yes, it's a great deal of fun getting the gauges programmed!


I'm taking a step backward with the rest of the car however; today I pulled most of the interior and under hood
wires out. A few months ago I scored some "left over" aircraft wire from the workplace that was essentially
headed for the garbage. In avionics/aviation, any wire that is 'nicked', or cannot make an entire run without
proper termination is scrapped.


I've ended up with several lengths of about 5 feet to 15 feet which will cover most of the main harness, and
exterior wires. The greatest part is this wire is resistant to oxidizing, and also lighter than copper. It will be
well worth the extra effort to redo everything.


By the end of next week, I hope to have a little simulation setup with the tach/speedo using a signal generator.
I'll be sure to upload a video once I figure out how to connect everything via USB.


Have a good night, and Merry Christmas to all!

[LCD Gauges]

This video shows an assortment of features, and circuits
that will be incorporated into the system. I'd say it's about 3/4 complete in terms of graphic quality, and added icons.

The font needs to change to something "sportier" to match the gauge numerals. I'd also like to clean up the text centering, and icon positions
once I get the hardware interface working.

For now, it will serve as a great model to calibrate sensors, and input signals like RPM, VSS, pressure senders, etc.

Some of the display animations will seem odd if you don't understand the logic of the circuit. For example, the "Check Blind Spot" icon will appear
if I'm changing lanes with either signal activated AND the sonor system senses a vehicle within one meter of the car.

The biggest addition is the "Sport Mode" which will appear at => 75% TPS position, or manual selected by a remote touchscreen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pEgI6_ZB78

[Taz Rules]

Sweet!

Now I just need a GTM so I can get you to program it for me!:o

[fastthings]

Oh my god, your brain is something else, mine would be cooked trying to figure all that out. Amazing.

[LCD Gauges]

My brain is normally cooked, so this is just an average day for me! :p

Just like anything else, with practice and experience it comes fairly easily. The toughest part of programming this system is keeping track of inputs vs. outputs and how they relate
under certain conditions. After pages of code, it will become a challenge to troubleshoot errors if things are not organized and documented along the way.

I think I've done a good job of noting which wires will plug into the processor inputs, and have made block diagrams for future reference. The day will come when I'll have to refer
back to the program and I'll use the diagrams to point to a section of code instead of trying to figure out "the order of operations".

Right now I'm working on the RPM and VSS emulation; hoping that the processor and system can update the data without making the screen look "choppy". That will be a deal
breaker, or at least the need to revise my approach.

[David Hodgkins]

That dash is gonna look great!


:)

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks David. The code is very similar to C++/C; it actually uses the same libraries and functions, as well as code structure.

For example:

void main(), or int main()
{
//code
}

becomes

void loop()
{
//code
}

and void setup() is the initializing area upon booting.

[The Stig]

Thanks David. The code is very similar to C++/C; it actually uses the same libraries and functions, as well as code structure.

For example:

void main(), or int main()
{
//code
}

becomes

void loop()
{
//code
}

and void setup() is the initializing area upon booting.

Yeah... What he said...! :)

[LCD Gauges]

If the programming talk doesn't make me the nerdiest guy on the site, then this video will! It's just a quick test to make sure there
is no lag between the tach/vss signal processing to my LCD display.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orycDVTKrJs

[The Stig]

If the programming talk doesn't make me the nerdiest guy on the site, then this video will! It's just a quick test to make sure there
is no lag between the tach/vss signal processing to my LCD display.



It's only nerdy in High School. Today, you're the king. :cool:

Very cool stuff in my oppinion!

Mike

[buffalojr]

I found these on Aliexpress.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1-38-inch-30PIN-Full-Color-TFT-LCD-Round-Screen-Display-Module-R61505W-Drive-IC-220/32263031951.html

Be nice if they had 3" - 5" round LCD screens for this application. Was wondering if you were just going to use a square tablet and how you were going to package the screen in the guage cluster area. (This question may be for a time further down the road.)

Awesome work by the way.

George Jr.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks George,

Those round LCD's are cool, but they'd be tougher to integrate (for me) into a panel display. I've been looking for a 14x8 LCD that would fit behind
the steering wheel, and not stick up too much after making a shroud. The best I found is a Samsung, and Toshiba tablet.

It would be much easier to use a tablet/PC to display the gauges and use the multi-core processor to drive the images. That would allow for other
options such as data logging, and reduced wiring while the Arduino processor can remain dedicated to data polling of the vehicle sensors.

That's the plan right now! I've figured out the analog needle movement, and currently working on capturing multiple frequency sources (one for
RPM, one for VSS), and parsing the information to the display. Video to come soon.

[crash]

Just as a related item, there are a number of programmable dash options just coming online from AIM, Motec, etc. Very cool stuff.

[LCD Gauges]

Ahhh, they're stealing my idea. SUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! :cool:

I've checked out a bunch of those for ideas (mainly LCD display), and they have some nice systems available. They are great for track use to log data,
but I find the screens a bit too compact for ease of laying out all the gauges.

If I'm not mistaken, Zonda (and supercars) use a similar setup?

37445

[Presto51]

Ahhh, they're stealing my idea. SUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! :cool:

I've checked out a bunch of those for ideas (mainly LCD display), and they have some nice systems available. They are great for track use to log data,
but I find the screens a bit too compact for ease of laying out all the gauges.

If I'm not mistaken, Zonda (and supercars) use a similar setup?

37445

More information for your knowledge

http://www.autometer.com/lcd.html

http://www.cranksoftware.com/storyboard-suite

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Only $4300 US+ sensors + accessories + tax.; Good thing I'm making my own!

I must admit, this is the first time I've seen water pressure on a cluster readout. It's a good way to tell if your water pump is broken, or
sudden rise in temperature occurs.

[Taz Rules]

Ford's GT concept at the Detroit Auto Show looks pretty cool and has a similar concept

http://www.autospies.com/news/NAIAS-Ford-BLOWS-THE-ROOF-Off-With-Its-All-New-GT-Supercar-Carbon-Fiber-EcoBoost-Active-Aerodynamics-FULL-DETAILS-HERE-84061/
37611
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37613
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[LCD Gauges]

I saw that beast on my FB feed yesterday. What a beauty; the back end looks wicked too.

With LCD technology becoming so inexpensive, and easy to implement, I'm guessing all vehicles will move to this
setup eventually. Less wires/parts, cheaper to repair, freedom of design and updating.

I just which all these auto mfg's would stop copying me! :p

[LCD Gauges]

A big step forward as the gauges are tested in real time using a signal source as opposed to mouse position.

From here I'll be setting up all the indicators to their respective ports (ie door switch to pin xx, temp sender to pin xx, etc).
I'd like to have a complete, full working model to test in real time, and work out the bugs
before getting hooked up to the car. Maybe by mid Feb. if I work hard!


https: //www. youtube.com/watch?v=WlMAPOgBhOc

[Presto51]

A big step forward as the gauges are tested in real time using a signal source as opposed to mouse position.

From here I'll be setting up all the indicators to their respective ports (ie door switch to pin xx, temp sender to pin xx, etc).
I'd like to have a complete, full working model to test in real time, and work out the bugs
before getting hooked up to the car. Maybe by mid Feb. if I work hard!

Nice Tino keep up the great work your doing on this, but yes work hard to get this part of the project done the waiting is killing me:)

Ron

[Taz Rules]

A big step forward as the gauges are tested in real time using a signal source as opposed to mouse position.

From here I'll be setting up all the indicators to their respective ports (ie door switch to pin xx, temp sender to pin xx, etc).
I'd like to have a complete, full working model to test in real time, and work out the bugs
before getting hooked up to the car. Maybe by mid Feb. if I work hard!


https: //www. youtube.com/watch?v=WlMAPOgBhOc
Do ya need a double dog dare to make you work hard and meet the deadline?:p

[LCD Gauges]

uhhhh, no Ron...I mean Ash, I don't need a DDD (< clever).

I could use some dates for the Summer open house however!

[Taz Rules]

uhhhh, no Ron...I mean Ash, I don't need a DDD (< clever).

I could use some dates for the Summer open house however!

You want a date for the Summer open house?

Five dollah. Love you long time. ;)

[LCD Gauges]

A date? You mean, you'll fly to Toronto and we'll cruise down to Boston in the GTM?

5 dollah...is that US funds?

[Presto51]

I could use some dates for the Summer open house however!

Sheeesh Tino You don't have access to the net up there in the North land? You don't read the forums, or the Factory Five Web site with full blown rapture? You been hanging out with the Taz man too much? Do we have to do EVERTHING for you?

Well here's your sign:

Factory Five Open House – June 13th, Wareham, MA http://www.factoryfive.com/news-events/2015-schedule/


So as they say listen to the following and Get-Er-Done
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUpQyNo8ALw

Ron

[Taz Rules]

Give him a break, Ron.

He's busy spending his 5 Dollah. Got to go, Long Time isn't over yet. :rolleyes:

BTW, Tino...you get a break...I'm charging you in Canadian funds. Which means its actually, like, 4 dollah. Or 12 pesos.:confused:

[LCD Gauges]

Ron, I swear that list wasn't there last week when I checked.
Didn't think it would be there yet, but saw some mention of
Winter Moochfest which prompted me to post without reviewing
the Events Page.

If it makes you feel better, I just submitted and approved the
Vacation request for June 13th all by myself.

If that's not good enough, you can have Taz all for
yourself that weekend.

[Presto51]

That's great I'm proud of you young man to submit for time off. Now.....

Have you made hotel room reservations for that weekend? Just when you thought you were done, you have more work to do.

Ok I will help the brothers up North make your reservations at Fairfield Inn & Suites New Bedford Their number is 774-634-2000

Tell them you are a customer of Factory Five Racing and they will give you a $99.00 rate .... That's U.S. Dollah

Don't forget to ask for extra time off like maybe 11th to 15th for two reasons....

1 I hear that there might be a cookout, by an infamous GTM owner that lives up there, just maybe.
2. If get there early we just might take you and your very lovely wife out to dinner.

What say you Tino?

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Ron, I plan on arriving by Friday around 6:00 PM, and leaving Sunday by noon. At the moment, it seems like I'll be flying solo (perhaps a buddy to tag along)
as my wife will be hanging with the little one.

From what I can imagine, Saturday will be spent on the FFR grounds for most of the day, and then we will all split off and do our thing?

[Presto51]

Tino, we can sure play it by ear on the Open House. Now.....

Back to work on the gauge project Pilgrim, and no more lollygagging :rolleyes:

Ron

[Taz Rules]

Its officially your month, Tino. Seriously...look at the calendar!

Its got to be finished by the last day! :p

[LCD Gauges]

Settle down Northpole, "I got this". Video to come tomorrow.

Does anyone have access to a high res. , bird's eye view of a GTM?

[LCD Gauges]

One more video to the collection. I'm very sorry about the poor video flow, and examples as it's very difficult to record and adjust tiny little dials with one hand!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVwwu_hXRP8

[LCD Gauges]

Thank you to Michael (RumRunner) for taking a photo of his mini GTM model. The graphic looks amazing, and it will be a great
addition to the LCD cluster. I promise to take my own photo when I paint my mini model, but for now this will serve as an awesome
test icon.

Here are a couple of edited versions of the original that will be displayed when a door, hood, or hatch is open.
This icon will also appear when the sonor sensors are activated, or an LED signal is blown.

3846238461

[Presto51]

Tino,

Very cool indeed.:cool:

Guess I have to keep the dog of double dare in it's cage for a little longer :rolleyes:

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Was searching for diffuser designs, and came across this Toyota FT1 concept. Thought you might like to see; gorgeous car!

386883868938690

[Fraser D]

Was searching for diffuser designs, and came across this Toyota FT1 concept. Thought you might like to see; gorgeous car!

386883868938690

I have been looking at doing a double layered diffuser by installing short vertical fins in the same locations as the original and installing maybe a modified Gen 2 diffuser or a profiled aluminum panel at the lesser angle.
My car has Shane’s vents in my Gen 1 diffuser which I think will still be functional assuming that there is negative pressure in that area able to extract engine bay hot air but allow a smooth sealed lower profile at a more appropriate angle to give some rear down force..

[LCD Gauges]

I've been checking out the back end of your car with the air ducts; I might steal that design or something similar! I'm working on removing the rear lip from the hatch,
and making that mesh as well.

As for the diffuser, I'm torn on the final style but I'll take my time researching. These months are spent doing all the leg work for body mods as it's still too cold
for filler, and primer to set properly. My vision is something very mechanical, and aggressive looking, and of course somewhat functional for when hitting the track.

3885538856

[LCD Gauges]

One more update on the LCD gauge project. It may not seem like much, but a great deal of work has gone into making the sonar system functional.
Also many "behind the scenes" add-ons such as sound, and data logging is now on board. I think I've beaten this horse a little much, so it's back to
physical GTM interior mods, and side-scoops.

We're still sitting in the sub zero temps in the Toronto area, which means doing small tasks indoors for at least another month. I'd like to hit the ground
running, and get some real drive time logged by June 1st! Go ahead, place your bets! :cool:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cy0GS2rb8w

[Presto51]

I'd like to hit the ground running, and get some real drive time logged by June 1st! Go ahead, place your bets! :cool:

Tino this project looks really good. Nice job but I have to say:

Oh, Oh, Has the gauntlet of challenge been laid down, and the plea "Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of double dare" have been heard ?

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

EDIT: Going to redo the video. Sorry.

[LCD Gauges]

A new and improved video! Shhhh...people are sleeping.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3AvkQiBJII

[LCD Gauges]

The newest twist to this project is getting rid of the stereo for a touchscreen tablet to control the LCD monitor, and other aspects of the system.
Who uses CD's, or DVD's anymore? The Arduino has a radio module if I want to listen to local news, or music. The tablet can handle the MP3's,
and video.

I'm in the midst of designing an interface that will switch modes on the gauges, relocate some of the information from the cluster to the console,
and move toward a more sophisticated look. The touchscreen will also be setup to playback the data that is captured for reviewing at the track,
or troubleshooting.
4143541436

Right now I've drawn some buttons with text, but I'd like to change those to icons eventually. Something like this:
41438

The music player is a Winamp skin that is overlayed with active areas to manipulate the features.
I'd like to call BMW to get a price, and some info about their mouse pad/cluster. It would be sweet
to integrate that controller into the console!

4143741434

[Kalstar]

Damn....love it!

[LCD Gauges]

I'm brainstorming on how to handle the interior temperature issue. My thought is to use some ducting to isolate the cooling lines,
with a thermal barrier to contain the heat within the tunnel.

This duct will extend as far forward as the foot box, and back to the end of the engine cover.
4173241733http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/188113d1430984516-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-cad_tunnel_cooling.png
From what I recall, there are a couple of cross-braces on the bottom that will need to be removed and re-welded, as well as some
links/brackets that hold the cooling hoses. Is there any reason this can't be done?

[Kalstar]

For what it is worth I drove my GTM all day yesterday and not a hint of heat in the cabin. I have yet to do the triangular closeout panel under the tunnel/engine. I might not.

[LCD Gauges]

I wish my car was the same; it gets pretty warm. Even a few degrees of cooling in the cabin would be worth the attempt.

[LCD Gauges]

This is my second time gutting the wires, but it's for a good cause. New corrosion
resistant wires will be installed, along with the Arduino harness that will poll
a bunch of sensors around the car, and engine.


I'm hoping to at least get the vitals working (speed, tach, oil, water, fuel) by
mid-month, and then add the remaining systems as the Summer progresses.


The tunnel mod looks doable after cutting the shift link brackets. This will
give enough clearance between the hoses and shifter to install aluminum shields,
and thermal guard. I'm thinking I can rearrange some of the hoses to sit flatter as well.
There's enough space to get into the HVAC area, and right back to the engine (just under the cover).
424114241242410

[LCD Gauges]

Who would have thought wiring could be such an art? I'm trying to duplicate the look of photo #2.

I started off pretty good, then realized that 87A, and 87 are backwards...so the water pump, and fuel pump spool as soon as the battery is connected. Oops. Now I have to redo 8 wires.

I'm looking to cover both panels with smoked poly, and get a brushed aluminum plate made with the GTM logo/car number. I'd like to paint the aluminum, but it's already riveted to the car from the previous owner.

Two questions: - if you were to attempt this while in the car, what would be your process? I'm thinking about masking everything around the panel with plastic & tape.

- do I need to rough up the aluminum before priming, or is there a good primer that sticks to smooth AL surfaces? Thanks!e4254042541

[The Stig]

Who would have thought wiring could be such an art? I'm trying to duplicate the look of photo #2.

I started off pretty good, then realized that 87A, and 87 are backwards...so the water pump, and fuel pump spool as soon as the battery is connected. Oops. Now I have to redo 8 wires.

I'm looking to cover both panels with smoked poly, and get a brushed aluminum plate made with the GTM logo/car number. I'd like to paint the aluminum, but it's already riveted to the car from the previous owner.

Two questions: - if you were to attempt this while in the car, what would be your process? I'm thinking about masking everything around the panel with plastic & tape.

- do I need to rough up the aluminum before priming, or is there a good primer that sticks to smooth AL surfaces? Thanks!e4254042541

Wow. That is a pro touch! Beautiful work.

Mike

[VD2021]

Who would have thought wiring could be such an art? I'm trying to duplicate the look of photo #2.

I started off pretty good, then realized that 87A, and 87 are backwards...so the water pump, and fuel pump spool as soon as the battery is connected. Oops. Now I have to redo 8 wires.

I'm looking to cover both panels with smoked poly, and get a brushed aluminum plate made with the GTM logo/car number. I'd like to paint the aluminum, but it's already riveted to the car from the previous owner.

Two questions: - if you were to attempt this while in the car, what would be your process? I'm thinking about masking everything around the panel with plastic & tape.

- do I need to rough up the aluminum before priming, or is there a good primer that sticks to smooth AL surfaces? Thanks!e4254042541

I know what you mean. I'm a fan of clean and organized wiring also. I built this panel to manage the lift pump and engine bay fans after pricing weather-tite relays and fuses.

I'm eager to see your finished product in action. Great work, Tino.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks guys. I hope my last message wasn't misleading - that second photo is not my work. At the moment, I've repaired the left bank of relays, but still need to complete and tidy up the right side.

The jury is still out for painting the aluminum. Perhaps I'll use a vinyl wrap as a backing since the poly cover will hide most of it.

Vidal, that is a sexy lift and fan controller. Nicely wrapped and tied! I have hours of weaving and wrapping ahead of me unfortunately.
42553

[VD2021]

Thanks guys. I hope my last message wasn't misleading - that second photo is not my work. At the moment, I've repaired the left bank of relays, but still need to complete and tidy up the right side.

The jury is still out for painting the aluminum. Perhaps I'll use a vinyl wrap as a backing since the poly cover will hide most of it.

Vidal, that is a sexy lift and fan controller. Nicely wrapped and tied! I have hours of weaving and wrapping ahead of me unfortunately.
42553

Tino,

Guys have had great success with the Raptor Liner and similar coatings on the aluminum panels after coating with etching primer. I've a kit on the shelf that I plan to use on the wheel well panels.

That panel is probably minor compared to what you have planned. I'm sure your results will great.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks for the info, I"ll check it out before deciding on which method to use.
As for the wiring, it's on the back burner until I get back from the FFR open house.
I'll upload a photo once it's all tied, and loomed. If it's half as neat as yours, I'll be happy.

I can't imagine heat from the rad melting the wire insulator, but I think the cover
will be enough to protect everything in any case.

Tonight the steering column was the focus. More mods needed to make the new
steering wheel fit with the quick-disconnect. 4-8 inches of linkage needs to
be removed in order to position the wheel at a good distance, and use the
telescopic feature.

More details in the "Telescopic Steering Column" thread.
4256942570

[LCD Gauges]

No dice. Moving the column to a position that even begins to utilize the telescopic feature causes the
turn, and wiper stalk to hit the gauges.

42583

[LCD Gauges]

Very happy with the results of the tunnel cooling mod. I ended up using a heat duct, and Thermo-tec insulating material to close
out the cooling lines. It was a pain to wrap the heat shield because of the sticky tar adhesive of the Thermo-tec wrap. Once it
touched the metal, it stuck like glue! This will act as more of a sound reduction because the reflective material is facing the wrong
side of the tunnel, but the duct itself should reflect most of the heat away in any case.

Nonetheless, it should keep all of the heat from entering the cabin. In addition to that, I'll be covering the insides of the aluminum
panels, and underside of the console/engine cover, as well as a vented under body close-out panel. Overkill? Probably!

4273042731

I'll be closing out the rest of the cabin panels, then onto the passenger door scissor/lambo hinge.
The second one should go faster, right?

[Presto51]

I'll be closing out the rest of the cabin panels, then onto the passenger door scissor/lambo hinge.
The second one should go faster, right?

Nice going Tino on the cooling fix. :cool:

Yes with lessons learned and notes from the left door, the right one should go faster. Don't forget to post pictures or video of your progress

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Thank you Mr. Presto Sir! The Passenger side bracket photos will be posted within the next few days.


Does anyone happen to know the wiring for the telescopic column, Momentary high beam circuit?


I can get the forward (push) high beam to work, but not the pull/momentary high beam to work on the stalk.


I've tried the manual, and SpyTech's blog, but neither provides light. It's possible that the circuit, or switch is faulty, but you never know.

[LCD Gauges]

Found the momentary high beam circuit - it's the small red wire, and thick white wire coming from the harness on the bottom left.
Just when you think you've tried every combination...

After some modification of the steering hub adapter (cut off the mounting ring), and using the stock zero offset wheel, a total of
four inches (fore) was gained. That value also includes sliding the bolts to the ends of the slots. It makes connecting the telescope
feature almost worth it now.
4306843069


Here's the latest gauge trim. I have some filing ahead of me to smooth the edges, but it's almost ready for use.
4306643067

[LCD Gauges]

Doors gettin' done, and matching up fairly well after 2.5 hours of adjustment.
Still a good deal of work ahead to clear the hood. The inner bracket of the door will have to be modified.
4308243083

[LCD Gauges]

The wiring is taking longer than anticipated. Just about 16 hours on this panel alone, and the right side relays are not done.
Once they're wired up, the loom needs to be tied. Vidal, I could use your artistic touch with this!http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/198833d1436773208-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150707_002708.jpg
I have installed a CF overhead panel that was originally meant for gauges, but since the LCD project, the rearview monitor, and ignition switches
have moved to that location. A little cheesy, but the forward view is better with the mirror above the roll-bar.
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/198825d1436773190-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150707_002354.jpg
I found some nice SS, illuminated pushbuttons switches that will replace the rockers. A little bling on the pedals, and GPS antenna to boot.
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/198841d1436773348-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150709_123819.jpg
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/198849d1436773441-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150709_123739.jpg

[carbon fiber]

Hey Tino. Your LCD stuff is coming along nicely. Have you got more pics of the cover? How did you end up mounting it?

[LCD Gauges]

I know the importance of getting good lighting, and finishing a task before showing off the detail, but I am already liking the look! The clear Lexan panel needs some trimming and sanding to square up the cut lines. It also needs to be painted, or lay down some matting to match the interior theme. I'd really like to see carbon fiber cloth wrapped on the poly, and then clear coated. I don't know if that's an option, or whether I need to have a piece made. In any case, the wiring continues. Testing this weekend if all goes well.

43601

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https://fbcdn-photos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xtp1/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/11703153_10154065211734148_3949999878496788740_n.j pg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=04b96bdb0b390fa33f698fa332e5ffeb&oe=5656F98A&__gda__=1444508220_6b893aa9f9391db8b5c5f87332e2962 3

[LCD Gauges]

Today I managed to test the gauges in the car, and it worked really well.
The Tach needle doesn't bounce "realistically" because I'm averaging 40
samples of RPM before it's displayed. I was about to try 5 samples, but
had an electrical issue with the GTM wiring that prevented a restart.

It was a crazy ghost that I chased for a few hours. Has this sort of thing
ever happened to you?

For some reason, after I connected the Fan ground, the fans turned on, and
the engine shut off instantly. It would not restart, or crank. The voltage
kept showing 6.4 volts when I turned on the ignition as if the battery was dead,
or there was a partial short.

After disconnecting all relays, fuses, and accessories nothing changed. I ended
up removing harnesses from all of the sensors, fuel pump, alternator, PCM, etc.

After removing all connections to the harness - literally an open ended wire,
there was no answer. Lastly, I removed the ground from the battery, and
did some load tests with fog lamps, and other high watt items. The meter
showed 12.14 under load, so I began to connect everything again.

The voltage remained steady like nothing happened. That doesn't make
me feel very good because it might happen while I'm driving. I'll have to
triple check my connections, grounds, and fan relay.

Not having answers doesn't leave any warm, fuzzy feelings at the end of the day!

[LCD Gauges]

After all the uncertainty, I decided to pull the starter and bench test it. The gear would pop out, but wouldn't turn. It loaded my power supply pretty
good, and sure enough - a new starter solved the problem. The MSD unit had approximately 30 cranks before it failed. There's a heat shield between
the exhaust, but I don't know if heat was an issue.

The new B&M seems like a branded copy of the MSD. What do you think? :rolleyes: I hope it lasts MUCH longer!
43766

[LCD Gauges]

If you're not sick of the LCD testing videos yet, then have a look at this one.
The tach is now matching engine RPM properly. I've also taken a screen shot
of the HP Tuners log vs. what my program is capturing.


The slight difference is that my software is averaging 10 samples, then displaying
the tach value which makes the needle bounce less, whereas HP Tuners is
recording from the OBDII port.
43804
It's nice to be able to see the data side by side, and have a bench mark to
calibrate against. Since the processor only accepts 5 volts input, there is
some voltage reduction and math involved, but it's dead-nuts on the money.

This feature will make a great addition to the kit for troubleshooting, and
race track data analysis.


I even cleaned my monitor this time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmTwB4x0kE8

[seanranger3]

Jealous but congrats. So are you done yet???



I can't believe it's sitting in my garage! GTM #105 has a proud new owner as of today. We drove from Cambridge to Callander, Ontario in
a ten hour round drip drive to pick up the beast.


We had quite a few confused stares on the drive home as people tried to figure out what type of car I was hauling. Lots of
thumbs-up and horns. We stopped twice for gas at highway service stations, and the trailer was swarmed by curious on-lookers.
Some kid even took a picture...which was strange because it was all taped up and stuffed with boxes. It was a cool feeling;
all the questions and compliments. I almost felt like a FF salesperson with the info sessions! ;)

It was a great day, awesome weather and nice to meet Alain and Dave who were a big help getting the car onto the trailer and ready for
travel. Below is a video link of some scenery along the way, and our adventure getting the car from crate to trailer:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Kialru1lA

I am still wired from the events of today. Instead of going to sleep, I just unpacked the entire car and checked out the contents. This kit
is going to be a BLAST to build. I'm very impressed!

[LCD Gauges]

Almost 4 years since that post. It's funny to read my emotions then, compared to the roller-coaster
ride that is the GTM build process.

I'm about one year from completion (paint, etc.), and maybe 3 weeks from getting the car to a respectable
street ready state. My goal is to drive this car by Mid-August, and stop living in my garage for the Summer!

[mikespms]

Hey Tino,

Time flies when you're having fun!

[LCD Gauges]

Mike, time even flies when you're not having fun, doing things like installing vent tubes on the Vintage Air box!

I think I've earned my Ph.D. in HVAC trying to get these tubes connected. Those of you that haven't attacked this
part of the project have a very interesting puzzle waiting. Don't worry, I've had a few drinks on your behalf!

44294

[LCD Gauges]

I think I’ve found a solution to trap the heat from the console area. After covering the tunnel with an aluminum shield and heat wrap,
I've put some heat treatment over the vent hoses and vertical bars in front of the evaporator.


The 2 inch bars give a good deal of surface area for the ThermoTec shield to stick onto. The screws and washers are added insurance
to keep things in place. All of the edges are wrapped with aluminum duct tape.


I’m getting ready to put the front, and rear glass on soon. Any tips to share? The pillars seem very slack, which allows quite a bit of flex.
I’m worried that the glass will crack if the body twists. I’ll have to use several fasteners for the body area, and maybe some firm rubber
gasket between the pillars and roll cage. I'll have to search other threads to get ideas before pulling the trigger.44384443854438644387

[LCD Gauges]

Getting ready to install the glass. The windshield is sitting nice all around, and hopefully I"ve done enough to prevent flexing amd shifting of the body near the pillars.*

Any words of caution before moving forward? http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/205081d1439907232-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150817_221701.jpghttp://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/205089d1439907278-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150817_214036.jpghttp://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/205113d1439907344-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150813_011721.jpghttp://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/205121d1439907389-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150817_210402.jpghttp://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/205129d1439907435-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150817_210349.jpg

[RF RIDER]

are you installing yourself? also do you have a rubber trim piece to put around the glass. Most are adding this piece, looks more factory.
also last thing, you sure you don't want to paint this car before adhering the glass to the body? Do you plan of driving car in the primer stage? this may cause some bad results later with water absorbing into primer.
may cause a lot of rework.

[LCD Gauges]

Yes, I have the rubber seal. It definitely makes the glass look more finished IMO. This car is not ready for paint; I have so many body mods to make that it will take at least one more season
to complete.

The car is 4 years old this week (Aug 28th), and it's killing me not to drive it. I'm willing to redo all of the primer, and remove the glass for paint. It's a small price to pay, and minimal work to
allow me some tuning time, and LCD gauge testing for the remainder of this year.

I think it's important to have a completed working model of the gauges with documented video sooner than later!

[LCD Gauges]

The front wheel arc is looking better. The hood lines are almost there; more body work is required to get straight cut, but this
is looking good enough for cruising around. Once the hood latches are installed, I think it will come together nicely.
44741
Here are some shots of the door modifications required to clear the hood. If there's a better/easier way, I wish it fell into my lap
months ago. The bars had to be cut and bent closer together to allow additional clearance around the edge of the hood. This area
will have to be filled in to seal off the outside air.
4473944740

Just a couple of days until the 4 year anniversary. I'm starting to install the interior next, so who knows? We might get some cruising done this
weekend!

[LCD Gauges]

Happy 4th anniversary to MONEY PIT! It has been 4 years to the day of messing around with this car.

Wheel arc's are pretty much a done deal. Once the car is off the hoist, the spacing will be even all around.

Interior time now! Hoping for two months of good weather before the insurance comes off. I can't wait to drive it!

44915

[The Stig]

Happy 4th anniversary to MONEY PIT! It has been 4 years to the day of messing around with this car.

Wheel arc's are pretty much a done deal. Once the car is off the hoist, the spacing will be even all around.

Interior time now! Hoping for two months of good weather before the insurance comes off. I can't wait to drive it!

44915

Time really slips away with these cars, doesn't it?

Mine was delivered on August 2009. It's now August 2015. And at least 1.5 to 2 years of that time was spent with my car sitting in someone else's shop... Go figure.

Stay after it buddy!

Mike

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Mike! I'm so close that I can taste it! I've been buttoning up the lower under-body panels, cleaning up the essential wiring,
and installing the vent hoses to the dash. Last night the fuel filler hoses got connected, and the battery is charging. :cool:

For those not using the Corvette harness and need wiper/stalk wiring, here’s the deal for the wiper stalk wiring:

Yellow wire is the voltage source wire. Connect this to a switched source voltage
that is fused for 30 Amps and run a parallel wire to the stalk column yellow wire,
and wiper motor Pin B

Purple is the High-speed signal. Run this to Pin C on the wiper motor

Grey is Wiper Switch Signal 2 which goes to Pin D on the wiper motor

Dark Green is Wiper Switch Signal 1 which goes to Pin E on the wiper motor

Pink is the fluid motor pump supply wire. Connect this to the pump on the fluid bottle.

45088

It took me a while to get a wiring diagram, so I opened up the motor cover to try getting
the info myself. There is not enough labeling on the circuit board to determine circuit
paths, and using a mutli-meter wasn’t clear enough to make me comfortable. In any case,
here are the guts of the motor. That plastic wheel and the cammed switch is how your
wipers know where to park.
45089
If you’re uncertain, remove the hardware from the motor spindle and run the motor using
low, or high speed circuit. When you switch to off, the spindle will rest in the home/park
position. Now connect your hardware and wiper transmission (connecting rod). It will end
up in this location.
45090
Clearance from the cowl is tight, but I managed to get about a ¼ inch of spacing without any
Interference.
45091
The fuel filler hose still has me baffled. I’ve tried a few automotive suppliers for flexible, fuel
Safe hose, but have come up empty handed. For the short term I’ll used the supplied FFR
Hoses. Cutting them down at the large mouth end fits the filler cap assembly fairly well. Using
a slip style, high tension clamp should prevent leaking at both ends. These types of clamps
retain their shape as you tighten them and can handle higher tension forces.
4509345092

[LCD Gauges]

Not bad for a rookie glass install! The trim looks great, and the glass is sitting flat.

Another shout out to Ron (Presto) for getting the body straight and allowing the
glass to fit properly.

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11988315_10154218369014148_6129850355630869343_n.j pg?oh=0bf06f972a4ae5a6953051e86a1e280d&oe=5672502C
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11904749_10154218369604148_3744616129020074889_n.j pg?oh=a6bef255757b19f360babc005cbd89fa&oe=56646F21
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlf1/v/t1.0-9/11986953_10154218369749148_5552721871187180575_n.j pg?oh=99ec954d37a7febb8298941f6e5f0b7d&oe=567634A3

[Presto51]

Thanks Tino for the props.

Your so close to getting out on the street, keep on plugging away, can't wait for the finally on the road video

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

You deserve it! It's a shame you don't live closer as we would be cruising this weekend. I have had many compliments on the tail lights, doors, and even the winshield.

All of which had some massaging with your crafty hands.

If I could only have you here for the hood adjustment and paint, my life would be complete!

[Presto51]

Ah another buildcation or ......

Slap some tags and insurance on that bad boy and drive here and we'll really take of you :)

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Today was my first drive since last season. I've been working hard to get the car prepped for the weekend in order
to meet up with "TwinTurboGTM" (Scott), and also attend a car cruise. The test was cut short due to steering and
shifting problems.

I thought that maybe an alignment and eliminating interference with the wheel arcs would cure the clicking
that had been felt when turning lock-to-lock. In fact, the universal joint on the steering link was installed at too much
of an angle. It is causing the u-joint to bind when rotated. I'm not sure how I'll resolve this, but it needs to be
addressed.

http://htsmall.ecklerstrucks.com/assets/trk/images/size/265x265/sku/153164.jpg
Going into 2nd, 4th, and 6th gear is difficult. Sometimes the shifter will pop out. This is probably a shifter cable adjustment,
and/or clutch bleed. The slave will have to be removed and flipped right side up to get the air out properly. Re-installing it
will be loads of fun. The G96 has a preloaded fork which is tough to depress.

The tunnel insulating worked out really well. The heat is almost non-existent aside from what is escaping from the engine
cover area (I don't have that screwed down yet). Worst case, I'm planning to vent the lower tunnel cover if more cooling
is required.

Lastly, the ventilation fan is a bit on the warm side. Probably because the main fan is open to the under-hood heat. I'm sure
I read that someone (Shane?) developed a cover to isolate the fan from the heat.

That is all for now. Not a very good impression for this time around, but a few days to get my "stuff" together yet!

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t31.0-8/12038839_10154240892359148_1081281303147193547_o.j pg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12004718_10154240891004148_1998214092315760877_n.j pg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=aa5d7c5decaff091282941c035ed35d1&oe=565DAF54

[kabacj]

That's the spirit! Drive it!

Great job man.

It's the car you earn ownership of. You built it ! Well done.

[Presto51]

X4 What John said. You got her out of the shed that is a very huge

Enjoy

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Right on guys. It's never as bad as it seems.

What I thought would be an intense modifcation turned around quite quickly.

By adding a second u-joint on the steering cloumn, the maximum
angle was cut from about 60 degrees down to 20 degrees (approx.).
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/210753d1442524095-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150917_124307.jpg
You can see in this image that the angle is severe:
45478
The end result:
45479
Had the previous owner not welded a portion of the shaft, I may have
completed the task in half the time.

The shift action should be better as the rear cable bracket was adjusted
about 1/4" to the back allowing the transaxle lever to lock fully.

Lots of testing to come this weekend, and possibly a car show Sunday.
Hopefully the primer, and pin holes shine bright with the morning sun.

[LCD Gauges]

I had the car out for a good 20 minute drive. Up to 80 Km/H with no problems.
My steering wheel needs to be rotated 45 degrees because of the u-joint modification.
Other than that, everything felt good.


Here's a quick video from the interior. Don't you love the sound of these action cams?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9cySN4hOo


The weather is looking good for the car show tomorrow. Hoping to get on the highway for some higher speed testing as well.

[LCD Gauges]

This morning was amazing, and humbling all at once. Meeting the car club members and their amazing cars was awesome. The GTM received a good deal of attention and many questions were answered. Some were no stranger to Factory Five and their line up of kits. As for the GTM, we need to step up our game just a touch. I was hesitant to bring the car because of the half completed state and primer finish. There were many genuine comments, but I saw some snickers from a few. My bad for being over anxious to sit amongst the supercars!

After 2.5 hours of high speed cruising, I really got a sense of how much more work is still required. Hitting the highway gives you a benchmark of how good your home alignment really is. For the most part the steering felt tight until hitting bumps at 120 Km/H, then the car wanted to skip over (or at least it felt that way). At no point did it feel like I lost control, however knowing things weren’t perfect kept me tentative and more alert. It was certainly easier to turn right, than left which indicates a camber/toe bias. Hopefully the tires didn’t wear too badly.

A warning to the G96.00 users: let me say the stock gearing is terrible. If you’re planning on installing one “out of the box” you may want to think again. On the highway, the RPM is about 2700 which is excessive in my opinion. 1st gear goes like a blur and 6th gear hardly feels like overdrive with the ease of acceleration. Do yourself a favour and drop the ring/pinion to a lower 3 series ratio.

Glasspack straight through mufflers make conversation near impossible. One of the first things I’ll be changing is the exhaust setup. Even at the cost of some power, it needs to be quieter for my liking. If anyone has recommendations on quiet mufflers, please list them!

The only issue that soured the drive was an over-active EVAC system. There was quite a bit of oil getting drawn out of the engine creating a smoke show. I’ll have to make a better baffle, but otherwise the system generates a great deal of low pressure for PCV.

On the way home we stopped for fuel and topped up the oil for safe measure. Filling the tanks is a bit of a task because of the fuel splash out the neck. In my case, I had to ease on the nozzle trigger to reduce fuel flow. Not a deal breaker, but a bit annoying. Maybe some smaller fuel caps will reduce the splash.

Here is a link to the car show. Over 150 cars participated including a McLaren and an Aventador!

https://www.facebook.com/tino.desideri/media_set?set=a.10154250544489148.1073741854.50574 4147&type=3&comment_id=10154250664014148&notif_t=photo_album_comment

A short video of the finish. It was the coolest part of the show to hear all of these engines firing up at once!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maznLEt7g5s&amp;feature=youtu.be

[sressue]

Looks like a great show with a lots of high end cars. You should be proud of yours because you BUILT IT. Most of theirs were bought. Keep up the good work and if you're ever south of the border give me a call.

Steve
315-576-4792

[Fraser D]

Tino,
I have had mine in primer sitting on supercar row at Coffee and Cars with similar feedback.
Real car guys saw it as a work in progress and were very encouraging while I did hear mine referred once as a “Rat Rod Supercar” from someone whose primary mode of transport was his parents .
Be very proud of what you have done.

[rev2xs]

Hey Tino,

With the fix below, do you think that this sort of thing could suffice?

http://www.flamingriver.com/index.php/products/c0005/s0012/FR2594#




Right on guys. It's never as bad as it seems.

What I thought would be an intense modifcation turned around quite quickly.

By adding a second u-joint on the steering cloumn, the maximum
angle was cut from about 60 degrees down to 20 degrees (approx.).
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/210753d1442524095-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20150917_124307.jpg
You can see in this image that the angle is severe:
45478
The end result:
45479
Had the previous owner not welded a portion of the shaft, I may have
completed the task in half the time.

The shift action should be better as the rear cable bracket was adjusted
about 1/4" to the back allowing the transaxle lever to lock fully.

Lots of testing to come this weekend, and possibly a car show Sunday.
Hopefully the primer, and pin holes shine bright with the morning sun.

[LCD Gauges]

Looks like a great show with a lots of high end cars. You should be proud of yours because you BUILT IT. Most of theirs were bought. Keep up the good work and if you're ever south of the border give me a call.

Steve

The show was excellent! My buddy and I estimated about $12 million in car value sitting in the parking lot; an insane level of machinery for sure!

Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of how far this car has come along, but I felt awkward parked next to such 'pretty' cars having essentially guide coat
for paint and tie wraps holding my rear-view camera. No regrets though, I'd do it again.

Thanks for the offer to meet up. I'm not in the USA often, but I'll keep your contact handy. As always if you're in the Toronto area, be sure to look
me up!


Tino,
I have had mine in primer sitting on supercar row at Coffee and Cars with similar feedback.
Real car guys saw it as a work in progress and were very encouraging while I did hear mine referred once as a “Rat Rod Supercar” from someone whose primary mode of transport was his parents .
Be very proud of what you have done.

I consider your car light years ahead of mine at this point. You've done a great job with the engine upgrade and body work mods! I'll be stealing those rear heat vents
for mine. :cool:


Hey Tino,

With the fix below, do you think that this sort of thing could suffice?

http://www.flamingriver.com/index.ph.../s0012/FR2594# (http://www.flamingriver.com/index.php/products/c0005/s0012/FR2594#)

Tom, that looks like a good solution, however in my case I think the angle of the joints would be excessive being so close together.
Tough to say without testing; the price is also more than double.

Are you getting a click when turning?

[rev2xs]

Yeah unfortunately :(

I thought i had fixed the problem but obviously not. The angle is simply much too steep and i get a little bit of binding when i turn the wheel.

[LCD Gauges]

Another 80 KMs on the clock this afternoon. The alignment feels much better, but it will certainly need a computer to get it right. As soon as next season breaks I'll be setting up for a full suspension tune
Including four corner scaling.

Damn does it ever get hot in the cabin without the rear firewall closeouts. It's not the safest thing to attempt, so I will be tending to that next.

If you bought used window regulators and have trouble lining up your windows,
make sure the brackets are riding on the correct side of the rail.
For whatever reason, one of the brackets was mounted on the inside
lip which is smaller than the outer lip. It prevents the bracket from reaching the top of the rail by nearly 2 inches.

Thanks to Shane for the troubleshooting tips as he saw my photos on social media.

Wrong side
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/t31.0-8/12031610_10154265654954148_4855709109415307945_o.j pg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9

Correct side
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/t31.0-8/12030518_10154265658499148_6819630398338057850_o.j pg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9

[LCD Gauges]

The door panel buttons worked out really well and stay fastened nicely. There is only a minor hump through
the vinyl covering, but I think some 1/4” foam padding will fix that and also give the door a better look.

What are your thoughts on the lens covers with screws? If I’m being honest with myself, I think it looks better
on the GT40, but we’ll see how it pans out once there is some colour on the hood. I’m still torn between black
light buckets, or colour matched.

Either way, there is optic grade silicone that can be used to make a transparent gasket. If applied properly, you
would have to get up pretty close to notice it’s there. The only thing left is to clean up the edges and blend them
into the buckets. Adding some tape along the lens and putting filler between the gaps will be the next step for body work
over the Winter.

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12115729_10154275222229148_1161323774157905759_n.j pg?oh=45a5b57a2f6deea61068d4cd9653f18c&oe=56A2E9D3
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpl1/v/t1.0-9/12111909_10154275447964148_8498304169019523137_n.j pg?oh=4def08d93ded16d003b1170fed727336&oe=56A43E8B
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/11222570_10154275222639148_8708294908604373675_n.j pg?oh=7b9e0325e6c6a6e3df98732248b292d9&oe=569092F3

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/214025d1443773181-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20151001_174503.jpg
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/214033d1443773215-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20151001_174356.jpg

[LCD Gauges]

A first draft of a new layout for the LCD gauges. This was done using MS Paint so it looks a bit animated.
This is definitely a better use of space, but it needs some high resolution graphics and nicer colour tones.

I'm checking out options to draw maps using the GPS co-ordinates and incorporate vehicle position, lap times,
etc. Call me a geek, but I'm loving this stuff!

464624646346464

Closing out the firewall and hoping for a gas tight seal. I've done my best to add heat treatment, sound dampener, silicone, and foam gasket
at most junction points.

I think the weakest link is the engine cover and the lexan window. Some modification is needed in my coolant hose routing
to allow the engine cover more clearance to sit on the rails. A 90 degree elbow coming off the pump should be enough.

For those without side windows, what have you done to cover the area? I'd like to have some suede covers made. Probably
not too difficult with a template.

The stereo amps are mounted and then I'll need ideas for rear speaker locations. I've seen some of you install enclosures
between the seat and console that looks really nice. There aren't many options otherwise unless we insert speakers into
the upper seat!
46465464664646746468

[LCD Gauges]

Sunday was the last car club cruise for the year. Being Thanksgiving long weekend it was a mild turn-out;
approximately 60 cars attended. The weather was great and I figured it was safe to take the windowless
GTM for a final appearance.

Despite being a smaller crowd, the car receive a great deal more attention. Proably because it stuck out
like a sore thumb and people were uncertain about the type of car. As I was getting out, two guys approached
the car thinking it was a GT40. He just happened to own a beautiful 2007 Ford GT. Unfortauntely my phone
decided to delete about twelve photos which included the Ford GT, but you can see the hatch in the background
of the first photo. The owner (Nick) was nice enough to open the doors and rear hatch to reveal the sexy
supercharged beast beneath.
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/216322d1444628924-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20151011_094731.jpg
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/216330d1444628972-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20151011_095957.jpg

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/216338d1444629049-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20151011_095042.jpg

More photos here:

https://m.facebook.com/tino.desideri...4250544489148/
Today is also the last time I'll take the GTM on a long cruise. 307 KMs since mid September! I have done enough
road testing to know that I'm miles away from completiing the build. Installing the door windows and silencing
the rattles, should keep me busy for the rest of the year.

I'm still feeling some heat coming off the main console area. After installng a heat sheild, and thermal
wrap to block off the cooling hoses, I'm shocked at how warm the interior feels. The engine cover is definitely
an issue, but perhaps a vented underbody cover is required?

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/216354d1444629214-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-12118937_10154290337549148_5474454872272230535_n.j pg

[LCD Gauges]

Less than 10 hours of run time on this new set of wires and one of them is already
broken. After inspecting the boot it appears to be only mechanically torn/stressed.
There are no signs of arcing through the boot, or misfiring on the plug.
47036

For the short term I've added the stock aluminum sleeves to shield the heat. I moved
the faulty wire to cylinder #7 for easy access/inspection. We'll see how it performs
next season before swapping the entire set.

The last mod for the year goes to the oil/air separators. This should cure any smoke
out the exhaust. Vibrant makes a nice looking product with a clear level tube.

Hooking up this mess with braided wire with such a short run from the valve cover is
not going to be fun! I may have to forego the braid to get the flexibilty.
47034

[LCD Gauges]

What a crappy day for me, all because of haste on my part.

With sunny, dry weather far and few between lately, I wanted to get some tuning/logging
done this afternoon.

I had loaded the original tune back in the PCM to start fresh. When I started the engine,
it was running a bit rough (tune related), so I pulled the MAF sensor to smooth out the idle
instead of setting the MAF to "Fail" and setting Frequency to zero (mistake #1).

Mistake #2 was not fully charging the battery before going for my joy ride. The car has
been sitting for weeks, draining away. The battery was boosted just enough to crank the engine
over, and then I relied on the alternator to charge the system while cruising around.

After hammering the throttle a few times, the PCM must have entered a region of a table where
timing and/or fuel mixture was not configured properly. This is my theory based on the screen
shots from HP Tuners. The engine shut off almost instantly as if I had cut power to the system.
4743547436
When trying to re-start, there wasn’t enough juice in the battery to crank the motor! There I
was dead on the road, less than 1 KM from my house.
My wife had to drive down the street with booster cables and 20 month old daughter in tow.

She did not like me very much in that moment. Thankfully, the car was revived and babied home
for a good rest. No damage, just very inconvenient and embarrassing. I have a video with some
decent engine tones, but the end is laced with a few choice words. It's probably not the best video
to show off! :P

Last cruise of the season? No way that I can put it to rest on a low note!

[LCD Gauges]

I miss visiting the forum and working on the car! It has been a rough 2nd half
of the year and Winter cold isn't helping with motivation either.

This year I've treated myself to a little GTM art which will likely hang in the
garage or my future man cave (whenever that happens!). Our little buddy
Taz has some skillz!
48253

Besides that I'm pretty much done with the LCD programming. I was a little
lax on road testing and getting a real-time video uploaded, however that will
happen soon.
48252
My next little task over the cold months is to draw up another skin to make
my dash resemble an aircraft display. I think it'll be my favourite look!
4825048251

[Taz Rules]

Thanks for the shout out, my friend!
Now I've got to get you into one of my guitars! :cool:

[LCD Gauges]

But, but, I play the drums!48260

[Presto51]

But, but, I play the drums!48260

Not by that picture. All I see is a nice looking drum set. Now if you were to throw up a video of you playing :rolleyes:

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

With the recent stranding of the GTM and now hard cranking by way of a high torque starter and Winter temperatures, I’m thinking it’s time to reassess
my battery selection. Last year I swapped the battery for a smaller sized unit to facilitate removal.

By doing so, I think I’ve setup for failure. The current specs are: 75DT, 525 CCA at 0’F and 630 CCA at 32’F, 85 Reserve Capacity (ouch).

With most low compression motors and OEM starters, we can expect to see 130-145 amps of current draw (peak), with a continuous
cranking current of 100-120 amps.

The starter I’m using right now is a B&M 77106, high torque starter. It can draw up to 300 amps depending on the engine load with a
continuous cranking current of 160-180 amps (again depending on engine particulars. IE: compression, friction, etc.).

I’d like to consider an Optima RedTop 75 that significantly increases the available current at 720 and 910 respectively for 0 and 32’F
temperatures, with a reserve capacity of 100.

I’m sure this battery is miles above what I have now and more importantly will have the extra kick if I need to restart the engine many
times within short charging periods.

I'm curious if anyone used/uses a smaller battery and survived long term?

P.S. Ron, no video for you!

[Taz Rules]

P.S. Ron, no video for you!
Vid nazi! :p

[Presto51]

Vid nazi! :p

Well Mr. Tino knows the rules.....No Pictures or Video it didn't HAPPEN!

[bbksv]

Not bad for a rookie glass install! The trim looks great, and the glass is sitting flat.

Another shout out to Ron (Presto) for getting the body straight and allowing the
glass to fit properly.

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11988315_10154218369014148_6129850355630869343_n.j pg?oh=0bf06f972a4ae5a6953051e86a1e280d&oe=5672502C
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11904749_10154218369604148_3744616129020074889_n.j pg?oh=a6bef255757b19f360babc005cbd89fa&oe=56646F21
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlf1/v/t1.0-9/11986953_10154218369749148_5552721871187180575_n.j pg?oh=99ec954d37a7febb8298941f6e5f0b7d&oe=567634A3

What did you use for the glass trim? I have a 33 HR and I just installed it the way the manual has without any trim ..but I think it looks like crap.

[LCD Gauges]

Sorry about the late reply, I"ve been a bit removed from my car and forum lately. I"ll get you the part number for the glass trim ASAP.

For about the last week I've been setting up to take video of the LCD Display for the promo threads and advertising but my engine won't start!

I think my engine is done? The start solenoid engages, but won't crank. If I put in 1st gear and try to roll the car, it's stuck solid.
My last drive was after the stall a few weeks ago. The engine was boosted, it started up without a problem and I drove it home.
All fluids are topped up. The engine has never been stressed (overheated, over-rev'd).


I'm at a loss as to why it will not start. I've put two fully charged batteries in parallel, plus a 50 AMP charger, and the most it would
yield was a "electrical buzz" and pull down the interior back-lighting.


What the hell is going on between shut down of my last test drive and this week?

:mad:

[LCD Gauges]

Seems like it's the starter AGAIN!

After inspecting the flywheel area as per Dave's suggestion, I found that the
start gear was engaged to the teeth of the flywheel. I'd stay away from the
MSD and B&M High Torque starters. There must be a design flaw (yes, I do
have a heat shield and thermal material around the starter housing).

48572

It was tough to retract which is not normal because the clearance was set
correctly.

After disengaging the starter, I was able to rotate the engine via the balancer
bolt and long torque wrench. Just be sure, I put the transmission into 1st gear
and rotated the motor from the balancer while watching the tires rotate.

The oil is drained and looks pretty much brand new (about 10 hours, 500KMs
of use). With a magnet through the oil stream and oil filter, there was nothing
odd to be found. That's a relief as the clutch stop was installed very early in
the build process!

48573

[LCD Gauges]

Confirmed. Hopefully this is still covered under warranty.
The crackling you hear is the arc off the solenoid.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuatsqIb1xw

[LCD Gauges]

By Wednesday night I'll have the new starter installed and engine running. LCD functional video to come!

Check out what our BC buddy Taz drew for me. It's a GTM leading an Aventador across the finish line.
How cool is that? With this drawing, I have enough to start a GTM shrine!

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/227002d1450154124-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20151214_220649.jpg

[LCD Gauges]

A much more versatile unit with unlimited clocking positions, and side mounted posts. It's also a bit smaller which helps clearance with the exhaust.

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/227265d1450316690-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20151216_190237-1.jpg

[Kalstar]

Looking great buddy. How does if feel (power wise) compared to mine?

[FastLaneClassicCars]

Looks fantastic!

[LCD Gauges]

What did you use for the glass trim? I have a 33 HR and I just installed it the way the manual has without any trim ..but I think it looks like crap.

Sorry about the delay, I forgot to answer this.


It's made by Flexi-Trim, PN# FT1630-75

16mm, 5/8" channel

Brother Jim! I can't really gauge the acceleration as the car hasn't been aligned or tuned properly. I've been working out some bugs
with the EVAC system and bumping up the Air / Fuel ratio for the end of the season.

For the handful of times that I punched the throttle, it was very
Impressive. Lots of torque off idle and the 1st gear ratio helps
to rip apart the tires fairly easily.

I'd say we would have a lot of fun crusing around. :cool:

[Kalstar]

Sorry about the delay, I forgot to answer this.



Brother Jim! I can't really gauge the acceleration as the car hasn't been aligned or tuned properly. I've been working out some bugs
with the EVAC system and bumping up the Air / Fuel ratio for the end of the season.

For the handful of times that I punched the throttle, it was very
Impressive. Lots of torque off idle and the 1st gear ratio helps
to rip apart the tires fairly easily.

I'd say we would have a lot of fun crusing around. :cool:

I'm looking forward to it. Open house this June!!!!!

[LCD Gauges]

No love from the GTM after many failed attempts and ideas to start the motor. I've ruled out a few items that I thought would contribute to laboured starts including additional grounds between the engine/frame, parallel batteries for more current, and even a dedicated battery
from a running vehicle to power the starter itself.This yielded the best result, however not enough to spin the motor fast enough.

49454

My next step is to remove the transaxle. This is something I planned on doing anyway, so it's not a huge deal. I have noticed that the gear
shift is a bit sluggish, but I've attributed that to cold gear oil. Perhaps with the transaxle out of the way I'll be able to reduce any drag from
the input shaft and other internals.

Worst case the engine has to be torn down to inspect the bearings, but everything turns freely with a breaker bar on the crank bolt. As
mentioned above, the wheels spin when leaving the transmission in gear and turning the crank by hand. It doesn't feel like anything is
seized.

So confused over what seems to be such a simple task. I can't think of anything that would have caused this to happen before shutting down
for the last time.

Welcome to building cars, right?

[LCD Gauges]

After some testing, the problem has been narrowed down to
insufficient grounding between the battery and starter.

My GTM came partially built with the battery installed via
a stainless steel braid from the negative terminal to the frame.
It has been working up until changing starters so I never thought
it would be an issue, and I've since learned the braids are only
good for about 162 Amps.

Considering this is the only electrical 'return' path for all circuits,
the quick math shows that the strap is limiting current for cranking.

At a minimum the electrical system requires the PCM, coils,
injectors, sensors, fuel pump, gauges, start soln, and start motor
to be energized all at once.

That pretty much maxes out the braid if you consider the starter needs
about 180 amps initial peak current and about 100 amps continuous
current to start the engine.

That leaves a mere 65 Amps for all other systems listed.

The new PowerMaster starter is a 1.2 kilowatt , 1.3 HP motor. At 12.5 volts,
the current draw is 96 Amps (P = I *E); the instantaneous current can
peak higher (upwards of 180+ amps) on initial crank.


I should run a dedicated ground wire from the
battery terminal to the starter housing. In all automotive wiring that I’ve
seen (correct me if I’m wrong), the battery positive AND negative go to the
starter, and then the frame is tied from the motor and/or the battery as well.


While watching the video note the changes in setup. I’ve installed a fuse to
illustrate the amount of current drawn while cranking. Even though the fuse
is rated for 250 Amps, it chokes the circuit. This was something I’ve always
wondered – how a tiny fuse conductor can handle so much current with such
a small cross section. The results surprised me!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYM2M7zjG-k


www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYM2M7zjG-k

The temperature of the fuse hardly changed. The biggest delta was about
4’C throughout all the engine starts. Keep in mind the wire is rated for 90’C
continuous use.

[RumRunner]

Couple of things:

1. I suspect the braid is not stainless but tinned copper - almost all are - and are meant for these applications. My braid is equivalent to a 2-3 gauge wire.

2. The current capacity is limited only by when the cable melts (like a fuse). The instantaneous capacity for a transient load (like a starter) is significantly higher than the published steady state limits, and even those published numbers (like ~170A for a 2 gauge cable) are very conservative.

3. The resistance of a 2 ga wire is 0.5 ohms per 1000 meters, so for a 3 meter starter cable the resistance is only 0.5ohms * 3/1000 = 0.0015 ohms, and the corresponding voltage drop assuming a start current of 500 Amps is only 0.75 volts. If your started only draws 250 Amps thats only a 3/8 volt drop. No problem for the starter.

So, IMHO - it's not the cables. Much more likely are problems with electrical contact at the frame or starter. A rivnut isn't the best for electrical contact. Much better would be a a drilled hole through the frame with the powder coating removed on the bolt and nut side, and serrated washers to provide good surface area contact. This should be done at the braid-to-frame connection, and at the engine ground-to-frame. Poor contact at the frame can effectively increase your circuit resistance by a factor of 10x-100x or more .... and that will cause problems. Millions of cars use AWG 3, AWG 2, or AWG 0 wire for these applications with no problems whatsoever.

Good Luck!

-Michael

[MTSCustoms]

There is no way the rest of the electrical in your car is using 65 amps on startup, unless you are starting your car with the lights on, a/c full blast, holding the brakes, hazards on, and your radio turned all the way up.

I agree with RumRunner that you have a bad contact somewhere. The starter pulls its ground through the block, so the block must be grounded very well(sand away the powdercoat and bolt directly to the frame, not a rivnut or self tapping screw. Nut and Bolt.). Same goes for the battery to frame. I would use ought gauge for both.

Good Luck

[LCD Gauges]

Couple of things:

1. I suspect the braid is not stainless but tinned copper - almost all are - and are meant for these applications. My braid is equivalent to a 2-3 gauge wire.


You may be right. After a closer look, the width is 1.5 inches which is closer to 2GA wire capacities according to typical braid specs.



2. The current capacity is limited only by when the cable melts (like a fuse). The instantaneous capacity for a transient load (like a starter) is significantly higher than the published steady state limits, and even those published numbers (like ~170A for a 2 gauge cable) are very conservative.

Agreed. The wire spec will never be given for 100% operating capacity; it would be ineffective to design a system that runs within a small window of failure. My guess
is there is about 20% more headroom allowed as a safety margin. It would be interesting
to know what the actual figures are!



3. The resistance of a 2 ga wire is 0.5 ohms per 1000 meters, so for a 3 meter starter cable the resistance is only 0.5ohms * 3/1000 = 0.0015 ohms, and the corresponding voltage drop assuming a start current of 500 Amps is only 0.75 volts. If your started only draws 250 Amps thats only a 3/8 volt drop. No problem for the starter.

DC resistance of the wire was never in question for such a short run. Your theory
about poor connection to the frame is most likely the answer. I'll have to remove
the braid an make sure the paint was scraped away.

I'll also revisit the Riv-Nut approach. A nice bolt/stud is definitely a better option, but it will require a more discrete location out of sight. After my experiment, running a dedicated ground wire from the battery terminal to the engine block is going to solve
any electrical issues I've been having.

Out of interest, this is the wire that I'm using.

http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/670494.pdf
49545

[LCD Gauges]

There is no way the rest of the electrical in your car is using 65 amps on startup, unless you are starting your car with the lights on, a/c full blast, holding the brakes, hazards on, and your radio turned all the way up.

I'm curious to know roughly how much is getting drawn on my car. To be fair, there
are other loads that were not listed. I'm using an electric water pump and the DRL
lights illuminate as well.

In the future I plan to have a processor start the water pump after the engine starts.
For now, it's all wired to one bus.

As Michael suggested and my experiment showed there is definitely a problem with
frame connection (method and continuity).

Thanks for the replies!

[MTSCustoms]

I'm curious to know roughly how much is getting drawn on my car. To be fair, there
are other loads that were not listed. I'm using an electric water pump and the DRL
lights illuminate as well.

In the future I plan to have a processor start the water pump after the engine starts.
For now, it's all wired to one bus.

As Michael suggested and my experiment showed there is definitely a problem with
frame connection (method and continuity).

Thanks for the replies!

Keep this in mind. The alternator is not responsible for starting the vehicle. It's job is to charge the battery and run the electrical system once the car is started.

The battery, on the other hand, has two jobs. They are starting the car, and filtering electrical noise(A/C ripple).

That being said, your battery is probably rated at 500+ cranking amps, so the only way that a current draw during startup would prevent the car from starting is if you have a bad battery.

[LCD Gauges]

Water pump, not alternator. :cool:

[LCD Gauges]

After sorting out my ground/wiring issues with the new starter, I was able to
whip up this quick video of the gauges working.


A bit too late in the season to get real-time road testing, so it will have to wait
for Spring (only 90 days right?!)!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrBFPth6b5Q

[MTSCustoms]

Water pump, not alternator. :cool:

I know, I was just adding a point to my previous post. Glad you got it working.

[LCD Gauges]

After a bit of a lay-off, it's nice to be knee deep in tools again.

The transaxle is off and the rework begins. I'm noticing a ring of grease around the pressure plate adapter that can't be figured out.
Nothing to worry about, but it's very odd. The fork seems like it's fine which is great news considering all the issues some people
have reported with over-extending the clutch pedal.


I did a quick bleed on the slave and I was expecting to see a bunch of bubbles because of the inverted bleeder location. Maybe I haven't
purged enough to see air escaping? After a bit of a lay-off, it's nice to be knee deep in tools again.

The transaxle is off and the rework begins. I'm noticing a ring of grease around the pressure plate adapter that can't be figured out.
Nothing to worry about, but it's very odd. The fork seems like it's fine which is great news considering all the issues some people
have reported with over-extending the clutch pedal.


I did a quick bleed on the slave and I was expecting to see a bunch of bubbles because of the inverted bleeder location. Maybe I haven't
purged enough to see air escaping? It would be luck that it was bled properly the first time around being installed on the transaxle.
It would be luck that it was bled properly the first time around being installed on the transaxle.

20160131_193555_resized.jpg (http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=50193&d=1454298566)
20160131_193605_resized.jpg (http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=50194&d=1454298607)


50193
50194

[LCD Gauges]

With the transmission out, it would be a perfect time to change gearing to drop the highway cruise RPM. I'm getting a few quotes returned
by Monday, so it's all about the waiting game now.

The adapter plate needed some modification because of the starter that was installed. I've opened up the area to allow for an OEM style
starter to be used in the future if needed.

Having the back end free of obstructions makes it much easier to detail and build up the wheel wells, etc.
I'd like to add some accents and paint the bare surfaces of the axle hubs to prevent rust. We can't be having nasty looking transaxles
at this year's car shows! :cool:

Before and after pics of the adapter plate mods:
50321503175031950320
5031850322

[LCD Gauges]

About ready to button up the adapter plate. I don't recall seeing these scratches on the pressure plate
before install, but there's no sign of contact in the bell housing. The pattern appears to be perpendicular
to rotation, which mean I must have dragged the plate along the garage floor?
5036150364

Going to attempt painting and clearing the hubs to reduce the chance of rust.
Also found grease all over the brake callipers and wheels.

The flanges are useless for sealing. Save yourself the headache and upgrade
these components; there's no hope from what I've seen in other threads as well
5036350362

50360

[LCD Gauges]

Do you remember that band Stryper from the 80s? You would think I hired them to paint
the transaxle, huh?

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/236457d1454896165-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160207_190529_resized_1.jpghttp://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/236449d1454896135-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160207_190421_resized_1.jpg

I'm liking the starter opening in the adapter plate. Much easier to monitor the
starter and check clearances. The ability to use virtually any model is on the table also.


New 0 gauge cable from the starter bolt to the frame should clear up any current
and future Amerage needs.

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/236441d1454896112-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160207_105704_resized.jpg

[LCD Gauges]

The evolution of these valve covers. It wasn't easy taping the stripes with the raised bolt holes, and coil bracket bosses.

Many imperfections as you can see , but it beats the greasy looking
original condition.

I'll be going with a similar paint theme as this GT, which explains the colour pattern on the transaxle hubs.
Hopefully I don't get too carried away with this idea!
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/237689d1455599153-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160212_123333-1.jpg
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/237697d1455599180-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160212_125433-1.jpg
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/237705d1455599218-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160212_131305-1.jpg
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/237713d1455599243-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160215_233938-1.jpg
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/237721d1455599279-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-12743550_10153856931364654_5774647049244528699_n.j pg

[LCD Gauges]

I grabbed a yard of carbon fiber to finish the dash bezel and a bunch of other accessories around the car.

This video shows some great techniques for 'skinning' parts.
Hope to have this figured out soon and upload pictures.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMSaPzoohHY

[LCD Gauges]

This project is really coming along. Can't wait to get some definitive road and track testing done this year!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaerCvhpblc

[LCD Gauges]

It’s GTM season again! Our local car club started up last week and it was a killer turn out.
This year should be more fun as it will be my first time joining the cruise portion instead
just the car show.

Here’s a link to some photos and a 360 degree video:
https://360fly.com/videos/tgucLxL8uzKj5riY8p36TL/
https://m.facebook.com/dbphoto87/photos/ms.c.eJxlk8ENAyAMAzeqCNiE7L9Ypb4q3~;cUG4NDrbJ2tedI as2n~;ohBNEG8QeBjqO7NmfuSdKWq4dNQvU4y8JmNmcyj5UmSZ 6kKJBOqMo9qcmY3CGbOAYFKeS8JKr0k6EvG3X2T3JOqC9WlalL VSNjI0~;B5CyRb1oPPw4sNGpzcZw18Jtvxyjxe~_T5eebqxPy6 odnbqnQ0a~_~_MD1cnt9ckurPwFvkho~_OAvGy27fz5fOHLmZQ ~-~-.bps.a.10154217593389749.1073741836.8254454748/10154217593444749/?type=3&source=48&ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_highlights
I’m about to try my first carbon fiber skinning of the LCD bezel. This ‘fabric’ is very difficult
to tame and it splits apart very easily. You can see the green tape on the edges holding
the fibers together until I’m ready to apply the resin.
53068
Maybe…just maybe I’ll get it right on the first shot. The picture looks bad as the carbon
fiber is laying over the bezel without being stretched or ‘glued’ down. Wish me luck!

Anodized AL. Much better!
5306653067

[LCD Gauges]

Got a little hack-happy today and split the hatch apart. If all goes well,
I'll be able to correct the flexing on the tail end of the hatch with respect
to the body.

53212
I'm not sure if' I'll use fasteners, or hinge the back section? Either way,
the Gen2 inspiration is a nice touch. The plan is to install linear actuators
to raise and lower the glass.


The gas shocks really make it difficult to keep the gap spacing equal
and line up the edges. This seems even more apparent with the hood
and door shocks as they have more pressure.




5321353214




The yellow bracket is for my accelerator linkage. It was
very sloppy feeling with my previous attempt. What started
as some scrap L-bracket aluminum has come a long way!


Tomorrow I hope to have the LCD bezel finished. The carbon
fiber resin is drying for the night. What a PITA to keep the
pattern aligned!

[LCD Gauges]

The jury is still out on the linear actuator. It's pretty slow moving at 30 seconds to open. It solves some problems, but creates other issues.

With a split hatch it's not so bad if the L.A. fails, or the car loses power; I can easily reach under to undo the bolts. Seems like more
"show" than "go" if you know what I mean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv-pXi1SfPI

https://youtu.be/Uv-pXi1SfPI

[LCD Gauges]

The jury is still out on the linear actuator. It's pretty slow moving at 30 seconds to open. It solves some problems, but creates other issues.

With a split hatch it's not so bad if the L.A. fails, or the car loses power; I can easily reach under to undo the bolts. Seems like more
"show" than "go" if you know what I mean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv-pXi1SfPI

https://youtu.be/Uv-pXi1SfPI

The bezel is coming along nicely for my first try. The lower rail and
edges still need to be glued. Hopefully it will improve with a few coats of clear.
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/attachments/factory-five-gtm-forum/248961d1461638861-gtm-gen1-105-fires-up-20160425_220101-1.jpg

[LCD Gauges]

Adding heat vents to the rear hatch lid and backup camera mount.

Don't mind the spacing around the mufflers and body, it's all sitting there for mock up.

I think a one inch round glass with rubber trim will clean up the camera bore nicely if I can source it;
otherwise poly will do the trick.

5338653387

[tucker298]

Love the updates, that L.A. Is really cool, yeah it's a little slow but it gives it a sense of dramatic presentation lol keep the updates coming, can't wait to see the finished product on the lcd gauges!

[LCD Gauges]

Love the updates, that L.A. Is really cool, yeah it's a little slow but it gives it a sense of dramatic presentation lol keep the updates coming, can't wait to see the finished product on the lcd gauges!

Thanks very much. The LA is a bit faster with a DC source and now there is one on each side of the glass.

The carbon fibre skinning turned out kinda blah. It needs more buffing and layers of clear. Definitely better
than plain aluminum, but more work will be required to make it look 'pro'.


538245382553826
The catch cans and spoiler are mounted. I think it's a done deal aside from a good
cleaning. I even got rid of that red-neck plate cover for a CF version.
5382753828

[LCD Gauges]

Last month I was at a car show with the GTM and ended up getting stranded because the electric water pump failed. It ended up
pulling down the power bus which powered the dash, console lights, and water pump. I knew things were bad when the cabin went
dark because the pump is on the same circuit.

546185461954620



This evening I swapped the water pump and checked the electrical between the new and old unit. The faulty unit measured
3.4 ohms of DC resistance compared to 8.8 ohms for the replacement pump.

I have no solid explanation as to why/how the dash went dark, but my best theory is the ground on the IGN2 bus was above
0 volts and caused the relays to "open".

The visual inspection shows no reason why the pump stopped working; I'm not very confident using the same product knowing
it only lasted about 500 KMs, however reworking the cooling system is not an easy task. Luckily it was a ten minute swap and
the car should be back on the road this weekend.

546155461654617

I have a bunch of photos from the car show on my FB page. Feel free to browse. A photographer was nice enough to take
a high res. photo of my car and upload to his page.

CAR pics (https://www.facebook.com/tino.desideri/media_set?set=a.6417989147.16901.505744147&type=3&pnref=story)

54621

[LCD Gauges]

Front end mod for this Fall, and finally paint?

A little Modena influence perhaps?
54920

[Fraser D]

I think that you should change the front...... but of course I am a little bias.